Topeka — State law enforcement officials are preparing changes to Kansas law to increase penalties for terrorism.
Kyle Smith, a spokesman for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, said Tuesday that the Attorney General's Office would craft a proposal in light of the terrorist attacks against the United States.
The proposal will deal with penalties for people convicted of committing felonies with the intent to disrupt government, cause civil disorder, or intimidate or coerce the population, said Smith, also a special assistant to the attorney general.
Most violations would draw a 20-year sentence with no possibility of parole or probation.
Many states are considering changes to laws dealing with terrorism and emergency situations. Smith said that while federal law governs most aspects of terrorism, state laws needed updating to give state law enforcement agencies more power to prosecute terrorists.
Smith described his agency's intent to tighten state laws on terrorism at a hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee on a measure aimed at threats to agriculture.
"Agriculture is a ... soft target. We have nothing around our fields and feedlots," Smith said.
The proposal before the committee would make it a crime to purposely try to contaminate crops or livestock. If the contamination resulted in a death, the perpetrator could be charged with first-degree murder and face a 20-year prison sentence.
Kansas is the nation's top producer of wheat and grain sorghum and third in cash receipts from cattle.
The bill concerning unlawful acts involving contagious or infectious diseases of plants or animals is Senate Bill 395.
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