Bill > SB491

This bill, known as the Haylee Weissenbach protecting students act, establishes the Office of Education Inspector General within the Attorney General's office to oversee educational institutions in Kansas, including public school districts and nonpublic schools. This new office will be led by an Education Inspector General, appointed by the Attorney General and confirmed by the Senate, who will be responsible for conducting audits, investigations, and performance reviews to ensure accountability and prevent professional misconduct, criminal misconduct, and systemic failures within these institutions. The act mandates that school employees and agents, defined as individuals providing services to schools who may have unsupervised contact with students, must undergo criminal history record checks and that certain individuals involved in professional or criminal misconduct must register on an educator misconduct registry. It also requires educational institutions to report suspected misconduct and provide annual training on whistleblower protections and reporting procedures, while offering protections for those who report wrongdoing. The bill further outlines procedures for investigating allegations, including the power to subpoena witnesses and documents, and establishes civil penalties of up to $25,000 for violations, alongside other potential sanctions. Finally, it amends existing laws regarding criminal history record checks to include educational institutions and expands the Attorney General's authority to prosecute crimes related to education.

Education

Education (S)

https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb491/