Kansas House Democrats will undergo new training to prevent sexual harassment after a former top staffer told The Hill she had been the subject of unwanted advances and witnessed other inappropriate behavior in the past.

State House Minority Leader Jim Ward (D) said Democratic members of the chamber would receive training at their annual retreat in December. Ward also said he would use his power to strip representatives of their leadership posts if sexual harassment allegations are proven true.

“Like so many of us around the state, I’ve been giving the issue of sexual harassment a lot of though in the wake of recent allegations across the country,” Ward wrote in a letter to members. “I’ve concluded the Kansas Legislature can do more to prevent sexual harassment in the Capitol.”

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Ward will propose creating a new independent compliance officer who would be responsible for investigating claims of sexual harassment. The Kansas legislature, like about half of all state legislatures, does not have a harassment policy on the books.

The changes come after Abbie Hodgson, a former chief of staff for the House Democratic Caucus, told The Hill she had endured years of inappropriate physical contact by legislators. One member explicitly asked Hodgson for sex, she said.

Hodgson also said members routinely used young female interns as designated drivers after lobbyist-sponsored after-hours events where alcohol was present.

“My experience is not unique; many other women in the capitol had similar experiences,” Hodgson told The Hill in an email.

Several other states have announced new efforts to combat sexual harassment after a wave of women across the country highlighted inappropriate behavior in capitals.

The California Assembly will hold public hearings in November to address the atmosphere of harassment in Sacramento. Last week, more than 140 women signed a public letter citing what they called the “pervasive” culture of harassment. The state Senate hired attorneys and a human resources consultant to investigate allegations of harassment in their chamber.

In Illinois, state House Speaker Mike Madigan (D) on Thursday introduced legislation that would require sexual harassment training for state officials. Those who refused the training would be publicly identified under the new measure, which will get its first hearing next week in Chicago. Several women who work in and around the Illinois legislature told The Hill of their experiences being harassed by male legislators and lobbyists.

And in Ohio, state Senate leaders said they plan a new round of sexual harassment education and training. That training follows the resignation of state Sen. Cliff Hite (R) earlier this week after he admitted to inappropriate contact with a state worker.