Democrat Kansas Governor Vetoes GOP-Led Bathroom Bill
Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on Friday vetoed a Republican-led bill that requires people to use bathrooms based on their biology rather than their self-proclaimed “gender identity.”
Republican lawmakers, who dominate both the House of Representatives and the Senate, are considering trying to override the veto, KCUR reported.
“Instead of siding with the overwhelming majority of Kansans on this issue, the governor has chosen to appease his most radical supporters at the expense of the women and girls of our state. » » Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins said in a statement.
The bill passed with more than two-thirds support in the House and Senate, “meaning supporters have a good chance of overriding Kelly’s veto and pushing through the bill,” according to the report.
“It just codifies social norms,” Republican Rep. Bob Lewis said after the bill passed, before the veto. “When people go to the bathroom or the locker room, we just expect it to be single-sex.”
Kelly said in a statement that the bill was “poorly written” and could have implications beyond bathroom use.
“I think the Legislature should avoid telling Kansans how to go to the bathroom and instead focus on how to make life more affordable for Kansans,” she said.
The bill would specifically require government buildings, which include public schools and universities, to separate bathrooms and locker rooms by biological sex.
Those who break the law will be fined or prosecuted $1,000 and could face criminal charges for repeatedly using facilities that do not correspond to their biological reality.
“There are some exceptions. Children would be allowed in opposite-sex restrooms until the age of eight, provided a caregiver is with them. Coaches would be allowed in opposite-sex locker rooms provided everyone is clothed,” according to the report.
Another part of the bill would prohibit Kansas residents from changing the gender marker on their state-issued driver’s licenses and birth certificates, according to the report.
In 2025, the state legislature successfully overcame Kelly’s veto to pass a law banning gender reassignment drugs for minors. The law is being challenged in state courts.
Katherine Hamilton is a politics reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on @thekat_hamilton.
