Kansas- Pornography opponents in Wichita and Topeka filed separate petitions with court clerks last month seeking to convene grand juries to investigate adult businesses in their two cities for alleged violations of obscenity laws.

The petition filed in Sedgwick County has about 3,800 signatures and targets nine adult bookstores in Wichita. A separate petition filed in Shawnee County has about 3,300 signatures and targets four adult establishments in Topeka.

“This isn’t just a Wichita issue. It is a state issue and a national issue,” said Jan Beemer, president of the Wichita anti-pornography group Operation SouthWind.

Anti-pornography activists first successfully used the state’s grand jury petition law last year to convene a grand jury to look at seven adult entertainment businesses in Wichita. That grand jury returned an indictment against just one business, Priscilla’s, and its owner, Robert Floyd, for one misdemeanor count each of promoting obscenity. That case has not yet come before a jury.

His attorney, Stephen Joseph, was not in his office and did not immediately return a call for comment on the latest petition effort, which is aimed at another Priscilla’s store as well as other Wichita businesses.

Similar anti-pornography grand jury petitions filed in Saline and Dickinson counties seeking investigations of adult businesses there were thrown, one on a technicality and the other because the judge felt it was unconstitutional, Beemer said.

The two latest petitions need to be certified to make sure they contain enough valid signatures. The petitions must have at least 2,600 signatures from registered voters in Wichita and 1,360 signatures from Topeka voters before they are turned over to a district judge, who then decides whether they are in proper form to convene a grand jury.

In Wichita, pornography opponents are seeking an investigation of nine businesses — Circle Cinema, Frolix, Party Store, Priscilla’s, Vegas Video, Video Adventures, Xcitment Video and two After Dark Video stores.

In Topeka, they are targeting four Topeka establishments — Sinsations, After Dark Video, Adult Entertainment Center and one of two Pricilla’s stores in town.

The group believes the businesses are violating a Kansas law against promoting obscenity, in part by selling sexual devices.

“This action is sweeping Kansas,” said the Rev. Paul Barnes, senior pastor at the Brookwood Covenant Church and president of area evangelical ministries. “We are not needing all this material in our cities, and there’s limits by Kansas law, and we need to get rid of it.”

Alan Ribelin, the owner of a Topeka landscaping business and father of five daughters ranging in age from 8 to 14, said pornography generates crime. He said too many people assume that as long as they ignore pornography, it won’t affect them.

“The sex industry has basically taken a stronghold in our community,” he said. “This community where I live, if it continues to go on the road it is, it’s just going to keep getting worse.”

The groups presented their petitions two days after Gov. Kathleen Sebelius signed a bill into law to restrict signs and other outdoor advertising for sexually oriented businesses within a mile of any highway or interstate.

Under the law, taking effect July 1, a business within a mile of such roadways could post two signs — one no more than 40 square feet with the name, address, phone number and operating hours and another noting that the premises are off-limits to minors. Signs already in place could remain for three years.

Kansas is one of only a few states in the country that gives citizens the right to petition for a grand jury probe. The law has been increasingly used by conservative groups in the state.