Kansas House Advances Bill Requiring Clergy to Report Child Abuse

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Kansas lawmakers are moving forward with legislation that would require clergy to report suspected child abuse, a proposal that advanced from the House Judiciary Committee without opposition, KCTV reported via Bishop-Accountability.org.

This past Friday, the committee recommended House Bill 2352 for consideration by the full House after hearing testimony from survivors, religious leaders, and child protection advocates. No witnesses testified against the measure during earlier hearings.

If enacted, the bill would add ordained ministers to Kansas’s list of mandated reporters. Under current law, clergy are not legally required to report suspected child abuse, placing Kansas among a shrinking number of states without such a requirement.

Representative Bob Lewis of Garden City said the legislation is intended to close what he described as a significant gap in child safety protections. “Our kids are our future, and we must do everything we can to protect them from sexual predators. The bill fills a conspicuous lacuna in the long list of those professionals who are legally required to report any suspicion of child sexual abuse by adding clergy to the list,” Lewis said.

What House Bill 2352 Would Require

House Bill 2352 would require clergy to report suspected physical, mental, emotional, or sexual abuse involving minors. The legislation preserves the confessional seal, meaning clergy would not be required to disclose information obtained through formal religious confession.

The measure also mandates training for all mandated reporters by July 1, 2026, or within six months of assuming a reporting role. The Kansas Department for Children and Families would oversee the training.

Kansas law already classifies failure to report suspected abuse by mandated reporters as a misdemeanor. Currently, clergy are exempt from both the reporting requirement and the training provisions.

Broad Support Across Stakeholders

Lawmakers from both parties supported the bill. Lewis and Representative Tobias Schlingensiepen of Topeka jointly requested the legislation, which was first introduced in 2025 but did not receive a hearing until January 2026.

Religious organizations expressed varying positions, though none opposed the bill. Chuck Weber of the Kansas Catholic Conference said the reporting requirement mirrors policies already followed by Catholic clergy in the state. “This reporting requirement in HB2352 has already been, for many years, a part of the child protection policies that apply to priests, deacons and other religious associated with the Catholic Church in Kansas,” Weber said.

Rev. Justin Panzer of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod of Kansas submitted neutral testimony emphasizing the importance of maintaining protections for confidential confessions. The bill was amended to preserve those safeguards.

Nicholas Jefferson, City Attorney for Topeka, submitted testimony supporting the measure on behalf of the city, stating that it would strengthen protections for children and improve abuse reporting.

Survivors Describe Missed Opportunities

Several survivors offered testimony describing how the absence of clergy reporting requirements affected their ability to seek help.

Joe Cheray, who survived childhood sexual abuse, told lawmakers that she disclosed abuse to a priest but received no intervention. “He wasn’t a mandated reporter of abuse in the state of Kansas at the time. Had I known this, I wouldn’t have gone to him,” Cheray said. She urged lawmakers to pass the bill, adding, “It’s too late for me … but it’s not too late for others going forward.”

Ellen Johnson shared the story of her late partner, who experienced severe abuse as a child. Johnson said no one at a local church reported visible signs of harm despite repeated contact with the family. “He always wondered why no one ever reported the abuse to authorities back then,” she testified.

Clergy Cite Moral and Legal Duty

Pastor Con Howerton of Wichita’s Temple Baptist Church spoke in favor of the legislation, arguing that clergy often serve as trusted confidants for children and families.

“Under current law, in Kansas, many professionals are required by law to report abuse. But the pastor who hears a detailed disclosure is not,” Howerton said. He described mandatory reporting as consistent with religious obligations to protect vulnerable children.

Next Steps

House Bill 2352 now heads to the full Kansas House for debate and a vote. If approved, the measure would proceed to the Kansas Senate and, if passed there, to the governor for signature.