Those convicted of internet child sex crimes to register as offenders in Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A bill to allow those convicted of drug offenses to seek relief from the offender registration act and require those convicted of internet child sex crimes to register as a sex offender has been signed by the Kansas Governor.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly says on Thursday, April 5, she signed Senate Bill 366, which will create a way for drug offenders to seek relief from the Kansas Offender Registration Act and allows expungement of the offense if relief is granted.

The bill also requires those who are convicted of internet trading child pornography and aggravated internet trading in child pornography to register as sex offenders.

SB 366 was introduced in January at the request of Ed Klump of the Kansas Sheriff’s Association, Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police, and Kansas Peace Officers Association. At the time, the bill dealt with differentiating between burglaries to locked versus unlocked buildings. That version of the bill passed the Senate 39 - 1.

The lone senator to vote against the bill was Sen. Caryn Tyson (R-Parker).

The bill was then sent to the House, and on to a conference committee. When the bill emerged from conference committee, it was changed to remove the language dealing with burglaries, and instead address the Kansas Offender Registration.

The conference committee report was adopted unanimously in the House, and 37 - 3 in the Senate. The three nays include Sens. Richard Hilderbrand (R-Baxter Springs), Mark Steffen (R-Hutchinson), and Tyson. Tyson said she was concerned the bill lessened restrictions on drug offenders, and dealt with issues that did not get a hearing in the Senate.

Earlier in the session, Senate Bill 385, which included only the internet child sex crimes issues, won unanimous approval from the Senate, but never made it to a vote in the full House.

Following Kelly’s approval, SB 366 will be sent to the Secretary of State’s Office and be printed in the upcoming copy of the Session Laws - which usually happens on July 1 - and will make the bill a law.

To read the full text of the bill, click HERE.