TOPEKA (KS)
KWCH-TV, CBS-12 [Wichita KS]
March 17, 2026
By Sophia Gernander
A Kansas bill that would make clergy or pastors mandatory reporters of child abuse is expected to fail in Senate committee.
Supporters of the bill in both parties said they’re disappointed. The bill passed out of the House several weeks ago with only five ‘no’ votes.This is farther than the bill has gone before, but it stalled after being assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Lawmakers say there is opposition to the bill in the Senate on religious grounds, even after an exemption was written in for private confession. They also say it’s common for bills to stall like this, and they hope to get the bill assigned to a different committee next year.
“It’s too bad that’s happening, but it happens all the time in the state house. One chamber supports something then the other doesn’t, so it doesn’t surprise me in that sense. It’s disappointing, I think this is a very common sense bill,” said Representative Bob Lewis. “I’m hopeful that later this year, if not in a subsequent session next year, we can move forward with it.”
“What I’ve heard is, the committee chair feels like it’s an infringement on religious rights. The only thing I can say is, I don’t know a single pastor who thinks it’s an infringement on religious rights to look away from sexual abuse when it’s affecting the children in their congregations,” said Representative Tobias Schlingensiepen. “I really hope people are going to stand up and demand their senators to bring this to a vote.”
Tuesday was the last day for most committees to hear bills, since there is only one week remaining in the 2026 legislative session.