WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HB 2762

Modifying the crime of unlawful sexual relations to describe who is a person in a position of authority for a school.

2025-2026 Regular Session

HB 2762 tightens who counts as a person in authority in Kansas schools, changing the scope of unlawful sexual relations between students and such figures.

Died on Calendar
#crimes #punishmentandcriminalprocedure #schools
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 2762

Summary of HB 2762 (2025-2026) – Kansas

Purpose and intent

  • HB 2762 seeks to modify the crime of unlawful sexual relations in Kansas by clarifying and expanding who may be considered a “person in a position of authority” within a school setting.
  • The bill targets sexual offenses involving school employees or individuals in supervisory roles and aims to tighten or redefine the scenarios in which unlawful sexual conduct can be alleged in relation to students or school environments.

Key provisions and changes

  • Redefinition of “person in a position of authority”
    • The bill specifies criteria for identifying individuals who hold authority over students in a K-12 school context, focusing on relationships that carry supervisory, disciplinary, evaluative, or authoritative power over students.
  • Scope of unlawful sexual relations
    • The modification broadens or narrows the circumstances under which sexual relations between a student and an individual in a school position of authority constitute unlawful sexual relations.
    • It preserves the core criminal framework but updates language to align with modern school structures and roles.
  • Application to school settings
    • Provisions are tailored to school environments, including roles such as teachers, administrators, coaches, and other staff or volunteers who have a formal or de facto authority over students.
  • Penalties and enforcement
    • The bill clarifies that violations remain prosecutable offenses with penalties consistent with Kansas law on unlawful sexual relations, potentially with enhanced penalties when the offender is in a position of authority over a student.
  • Related definitional adjustments
    • Minor definitional edits are included to ensure consistency with existing statutes and to remove ambiguity about who qualifies as a person in a position of authority within schools.

Who or what would be affected

  • Students in Kansas K-12 schools who are involved with individuals in positions of authority (teachers, staff, coaches, volunteers, and other supervisory figures).
  • School employees and volunteers who interact with students in roles of authority, including where conduct could be construed as unlawful sexual relations under the revised definition.
  • School districts and governing educational agencies, which would need to align policies, reporting protocols, and training with the updated statutory language.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction and referral
    • Introduced and referred to the House Judiciary Committee, then transmitted to the Senate for consideration.
  • Legislative progress and actions
    • Passed the House with unanimous or near-unanimous support (final house action recorded as Passed; Yea 122, Nay 0, with a few absences).
    • En route to Senate Judiciary Committee; subsequently moved through Senate proceedings with committee amendments.
    • Reached conference committee due to amendments between the chambers.
  • Current status (as of latest action)
    • The bill progressed through committee and floor votes, with conference committee activities ongoing in March 2026.
    • As of April 10, 2026, the bill “Died on Calendar,” indicating it did not advance to enactment in that session, though conference committee activity had occurred earlier in March.
  • Sunset or enactment timing
    • If enacted, the law would take effect on a specified future date provided in the final bill text (not detailed in the provided actions). If not enacted, current law remains in effect.

Additional notes

  • The bill’s progression included multiple rounds of committee consideration, amendments, and a conference committee, reflecting negotiation between the House and Senate on the precise language and scope.
  • The “died on calendar” outcome suggests the measure did not reach final enactment in the 2025-2026 session, though it had substantial movement and would require reintroduction or revival in a future session if policymakers choose to pursue similar changes.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to focus on specific clauses or compare it to existing statutes on unlawful sexual relations and positions of authority in Kansas.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.