Connect with us

Kansas

Kansas lawmakers push for law restricting sex offenders from schools

Published

on

Kansas lawmakers push for law restricting sex offenders from schools


LIBERTY, Mo. — Schools in Kansas and Missouri differ in more ways than just the state line dividing them.

Kansas has never had a state law restricting certain sex offenders from being on school property.

In addition, Kansas doesn’t have residency restrictions.

Lawmakers in Kansas want that to change.

Advertisement

Senate Sub for HB 2164 passed the Kansas Senate by a vote of 37-3 on Thursday.

State of Kansas

Kansas Senate votes on sex offender law

The bill was proposed by Kansas Sen. Kellie Warren after parents in the Blue Valley School District made complaints about a registered sex offender being allowed to attend an elementary school dance in a chaperone role.

If the bill becomes law, it would be a felony offense for registered adult sex offenders convicted of crimes against minors to enter school property or attend certain school activities.

In Missouri, a registered sex offender convicted of certain crimes against a minor can’t be within 500 feet of school property and can’t live within 1,000 feet of a school.

Advertisement

The offenses include:

– Incest
– Endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree
– Use of a child in a sexual performance
– Promoting a sexual performance by a child
– Sexual exploitation of a minor
– Possession of child pornography
– Promoting child pornography
– Furnishing pornographic material to minors

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office Sex Offender Registration and Enforcement Unit oversees around 460 registered sex offenders.

Sarah Boyd, public relations manager for the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, said there are some special circumstances in their law that the Kansas House could consider while debating the bill.

​”Missouri law does give the possibility for the school districts to grant exceptions, because, you know, everything is case-by-case, and everything that you see on a court paper may not represent the real circumstances of an incident. Not to say that we should just let all the sex offenders in the schools, but you know, there may be a chance someone’s child is really struggling, and we find a way to meet off-site to talk about it,” Boyd said.

Advertisement

Like most law enforcement agencies, Clay County Sheriff’s deputies conduct address verification checks, investigate complaints, and follow up with offenders who haven’t registered.

Clay County Sheriff's Office

KSHB 41

The sheriff’s office also maintains strong partnerships with schools.

“Most of the schools in Clay County, when you come into the building, you have to present your driver’s license and they run that and it will show up if you are a sex offender,” Boyd said. “They contact us, we confirm that we’re then in touch with that sex offender. Say, ‘Hey, you cannot be at that school’”. Boyd said.

Boyd said their main challenge can be offenders without a home.

Advertisement

“One of the most difficult issues for the sex offender registration and enforcement unit is transients, so we have a lot of people on the registry who are homeless,” Boyd said. “That is hard to keep track of…of where they are. They have difficulty, you know, getting here to register. They can say they will live one place, but maybe that’s just for a couple weeks, and then they’re somewhere else.”

Kansas and Missouri could soon have laws that are common to both states.

“If there’s no enforcement, then there’s not a lot of incentive to comply,” Boyd said. “I think this legislation is a helpful tool for schools and for families to feel safer where they are. While the risk is low, it’s not zero.”

The bill had significant bipartisan support in the Senate and is in the House conference committee for a vote.

Advertisement

KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers portions of Johnson County, including Overland Park, Prairie Village and Leawood. Share your story idea with Alyssa.





Source link

Kansas

IU football lands Kansas State transfer edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi

Published

on

IU football lands Kansas State transfer edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi


Indiana’s portal haul continued to grow Sunday as multiple outlets reported the addition of Kansas State edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi.

Osunsanmi has played in 36 games over the last four years and has 8.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss.  Most of that production came over the last two seasons.  He has a total of 47 QB pressures during his college career.

In 2025 he played in six games and had 20 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks.  He suffered a season-ending injury in October.

He saw action in all 13 games in 2024 as a reserve defensive end and on special teams, recording 19 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble over 303 defensive snaps and 31 special teams plays.

Advertisement

In 2023 he saw time in all 13 games as a reserve linebacker, a rush end on passing downs and on special teams.  He was tied for team-high honors with five tackles on kickoff coverage.

He played in four games in 2022 and preserved his redshirt.

The 6-foot-3 and 250-pound Osunsanmi has one year of eligibility remaining.

The Wichita, Kan. product (Wichita East H.S.) was regarded as the 232nd-best overall player in the nation for the Class of 2022 by 247Sports.

Osunsanmi will help fill the void left by outgoing edge rushers Mikail Kamara, Kellan Wyatt and Stephen Daley.

Advertisement

More transfer portal information:

For complete coverage of IU football recruiting, GO HERE.

The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Kansas

Kansas football transfer portal tracker: Jan. 4 developments for KU

Published

on

Kansas football transfer portal tracker: Jan. 4 developments for KU


play

LAWRENCE — The Division I transfer portal window for college football is open from Jan. 2 through Jan. 16, and that means Sunday is another chance for the Kansas football program to shape its roster.

The Jayhawks already gained one public addition earlier this offseason in Grand Valley State transfer Jibriel Conde — whose signing was announced Dec. 4. Conde, who is making the jump up from Division II, is a 247Sports-rated three-star defensive lineman in the portal and is listed by KU as a defensive tackle. On Saturday, a number of current Kansas players — including redshirt freshman quarterback Isaiah Marshall, redshirt sophomore wide receiver Keaton Kubecka and redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Blake Herold — also outlined in social media posts on X that they are locked in with the program for the 2026 season.

Advertisement

Marshall is set to compete for the starting quarterback job next season. Kubecka has the chance to step up into a more significant role at wide receiver. Herold is in line to be a key part of Kansas’ defensive line.

Those positives, though, don’t outweigh the fact that there has been a sizable group of players who have revealed their intentions to transfer away. Looking overall, when it comes to those whose decisions became public before and after the portal opened, the significant names to know include redshirt senior safety Lyrik Rawls, redshirt junior linebacker Trey Lathan and freshman quarterback David McComb. Lathan led KU in tackles in 2025.

Check in here for more updates during this transfer portal window about a KU team that finished 5-7 during the 2025 season, with transfer ratings as outlined by 247Sports.

Kansas football transfer portal additions

Jibriel Conde (3-star defensive lineman from Grand Valley State) — KU lists him as a defensive tackle

Kansas football transfer portal departures

Joseph Sipp Jr. (linebacker)

Jacoby Davis (cornerback)

Dylan Brooks (defensive end)

Jaidyn Doss (wide receiver)

Carter Lavrusky (offensive lineman)

Trey Lathan (linebacker)

Tyler Mercer (offensive lineman)

Harry Stewart III (running back)

Caleb Redd (3-star edge) — KU lists him as a defensive end

Aundre Gibson (3-star cornerback)

David McComb (3-star quarterback)

Kene Anene (3-star interior offensive lineman) — KU lists him as an offensive lineman

Laquan Robinson (3-star safety)

Jameel Croft Jr. (3-star cornerback)

Logan Brantley (3-star linebacker)

Greydon Grimes (3-star offensive tackle) — KU lists him as an offensive lineman

Jon Jon Kamara (3-star linebacker)

Lyrik Rawls (3-star safety)

Damani Maxson (3-star safety)

Jaden Hamm (tight end)

Bryce Cohoon (wide receiver)

JaCorey Stewart (linebacker)

Johnny Thompson Jr. (running back)

Efren Jasso (punter)

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Kansas

Hundreds celebrate Kwanzaa at Kansas City’s Gem Theatre

Published

on

Hundreds celebrate Kwanzaa at Kansas City’s Gem Theatre


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Hundreds of people packed the Gem Theatre over the weekend to celebrate Kwanzaa.

The celebrations run nightly through January 1. Each night highlights a different core value, including unity, cooperation and faith.

The event features local vendors and performances. Organizers say it’s a great way to start the new year.

The Kwanzaa celebration is free and open to everyone.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending