Lawmakers should pass a law to regulate themselves on this topic
Leaders in the Kansas Legislature say they can’t require members to go through sexual harassment training without a law.
So pass a dang law.
This isn’t tough. It’s a time where the national spotlight is on sexual harassment, and recent revelations show the Legislature has not been exempt from lawmakers behaving badly. Five women in varying Capitol jobs told of inappropriate actions that went as far as being propositioned for sex.
Legislators are not employees of the state, though, so lawmakers would have to pass a bill regulating themselves. Kansas is one of about a third of state legislatures nationwide that don’t require sexual harassment training. Once Gov. Sam Brownback signed it into law, the Legislature could take the lead in showing sexual harassment won’t be tolerated.
As it is, training is optional. The YWCA of Topeka is conducting sexual harassment training this week for members of both parties. Senate president Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, said she can’t imagine anyone not participating.
Without mandatory training, though, there could be stragglers. Those lawmakers could be threatened by taking away committee assignments or leadership positions, House minority leader Jim Ward (D-Wichita) said. Ward said he hasn’t had pushback by members.
Strong encouragement by legislative leaders is good, but a law would be better. Legislation would be more complex than mandatory yearly training. Awareness, education and consistent updating of best practices would be a part of any law requiring lawmakers to take the courses. Rules on workplace conduct in the Statehouse haven’t been updated since the 1990s, an eternity for the evolution of how to behave at work.
It’s time the Statehouse updates itself. Legislation to make sexual harassment training mandatory would be a sign to Kansans, especially those working in the Statehouse, that legislators are willing to police themselves with the weight of law behind it. They would show that no one should be exempt from being aware of what sexual harassment is and what it can lead to.
This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Lawmakers should pass a law to regulate themselves on this topic."