WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HB 2756

Prohibiting certain sex offenders from residing within 1,000 feet of any school property.

2025-2026 Regular Session

HB 2756 would ban certain sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of any school property to enhance safety, but it died in committee.

Died in Committee
#crimes #punishmentandcriminalprocedure #schools
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 2756

Bill Overview

HB 2756 (Kansas, 2025-2026) seeks to prohibit certain sex offenders from residing within 1,000 feet of any school property. The measure was introduced, referred to the House Committee on Judiciary, and ultimately died in committee on April 10, 2026. The bill’s provisions would have affected sex offenders subject to registration and residence restrictions, with potential implications for housing, enforcement, and monitoring.

Main Purpose and Intent

  • Establish a residential prohibition for specified sex offenders near school properties.
  • Increase distance-based safety measures intended to reduce opportunities for offenses against minors on or near school grounds.
  • Provide a framework for enforcement and potential penalties if the restriction is violated.

Key Provisions (as introduced)

  • Target Group: The bill would apply to individuals required to register as sex offenders (and the subset the bill defines as disallowed from living near school properties).
  • Prohibited Residence Zone: A 1,000-foot radius around any school property (which could include school buildings, playgrounds, and other defined school grounds) within which listed offenders could not establish residence.
  • Enforcement: Provisions would outline how compliance is determined, potential notices, and enforcement mechanisms if an offender resides within the restricted zone.
  • Penalties and Violations: The bill would specify consequences for knowingly or deliberately residing within the restricted zone, potentially including penalties consistent with Kansas sex-offender laws (e.g., criminal penalties, penalties for non-compliance, or court-ordered remedies).
  • Exceptions or Exemptions: The measure would potentially include carve-outs (e.g., for offenders already residing within the zone prior to enactment, or temporary stays) or specify requirements to relocate to a compliant residence within a set timeframe.
  • Administrative and Judicial Roles: Roles for law enforcement, prosecutorial discretion, and whether courts or the state Department of Corrections would supervise compliance or relocation processes.

Affected Parties and Impacts

  • Primary: Sex offenders registered under Kansas law who would be subject to the 1,000-foot prohibition.
  • Impacted Populations: Offenders currently living within 1,000 feet of school property or those seeking to establish residence near schools in the future.
  • Local Jurisdictions: City or county law enforcement and housing authorities tasked with enforcing the restriction, issuing notices, and coordinating relocation or monitoring.
  • Communities: School communities and parents may experience heightened perceived safety measures, though actual impact depends on offender relocation and enforcement.

Procedural and Timeline Details

  • Introduction: February 6, 2026.
  • Referral: Referred to House Committee on Judiciary (February 6, 2026).
  • Status: Died in Committee (April 10, 2026), meaning the bill did not advance to floor debate or enactment in its current session.
  • Implications of Status: As introduced and subsequently stalled, any potential implementation would require a new round of sponsorship, committee action, and passage in both chambers, followed by a governor’s signature to become law.

Potential Considerations and Questions

  • Clarity of Scope: How “school property” is defined (e.g., including adjacent facilities, shared campuses, or charter/virtual schools) and whether temporary school sites are included.
  • Transition Provisions: If pre-enactment residences within 1,000 feet would be grandfathered or required to relocate.
  • Interaction with Existing Law: How this restriction interacts with other sex-offender residence restrictions and state or federal constitutional considerations (e.g., regulatory restrictions, due process, and equal protection concerns).
  • Enforcement and Costs: Resource implications for relocation enforcement, monitoring, and any relocation assistance programs.

Summary

HB 2756 proposed a 1,000-foot residential exclusion for certain sex offenders near school properties in Kansas. While aimed at enhancing child safety, the bill did not advance beyond committee in the 2025-2026 session. If reintroduced, it would require detailed definitions, orderly phase-in or exemptions, and clear enforcement mechanisms to become law.

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

Sign in to ask a question.