A expenses that would prohibit care services from providing gender-affirming attention to transgender youth has been blocked by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly.
The action is yet another important step in the fight against transgender policy by the Governor.
She has, however, allowed the passage of another controversial piece of legislation.
Legislator Laura Kelly properly overthrows a bill prohibiting gender-affirming care
The costs, known as Substitute Bill for Senate Bill 233, may include prohibited doctors from treating trans children and conducting gender-affirming clinics.
Additionally, it included provisions allowing health professionals to file lawsuits and take disciplinary actions against those who provide such treatment. Next year she vetoed a comparable act targeting gender affirming care as well as other radical, anti-LGBTQ+ costs in the past.
Governor Kelly made a point in her reject information by highlighting that the bill violated parental rights and placed government obligations on transgender families.
She remarked,” This controversial policy targets a tiny cluster of Kansans by enforcing federal directives for them and directing parents to how to raise and care for their children.” That is not, in my opinion, a liberal value, and it is definitely not a Kansas value. ”
However, Kansas House Speaker Daniel Hawkins, who argued that Kelly’s latest veto would put her “on the wrong side of history ” in the light of her new decision, received criticism for it.
With his foolish veto of this common sense safety for Kansas juveniles, he wrote on social media that the Governor would consider herself on the wrong side of history as we watch other says, nations, and organizations slow lessons on these exploratory procedures on children. House Republicans are prepared to supersede her filibuster to safeguard frightened children in Kansas. ”
However, the Human Rights Commission applauded her behavior.
Cathryn Oakley, the governor’s senior director of constitutional policy, expressed her gratitude for seeing bills like SB 233 as dangerous misconceptions and attempts to target resilient youth with the sole intention of bringing down anti-LGBTQ+ extremists. ”
Simply put, prejudice is committed when a law attempts to outlaw best practice, biologically important health treatment for the person receiving it for transgender purposes. Doctors, people, and families – no politicians – may be making health care choices. ”
Discrimination is not in line with Kansan principles, as Governor Kelly has made clear with her past vetoes of another anti-LGBTQ+ costs. Legislators should uphold this veto in the best interests of the legislature. ”
In light of the rise in anti-transgender bills in the United States, Governor Kelly’s actions reflect her ongoing commitment to protecting the rights of transgender people.
For the third year in a row, Laura Kelly made an attempt to veto a transgender school sports bill in 2023, but it was overturned by legislation that prohibited transgender girls and women from participating in school athletics. The law bars trans girls and women from competing on female sports teams in K-12 schools, clubs, and public colleges.
Kansas has “broadest ” anti-trans bathroom bill in the United States
Despite her support for transgender equality, Kansas recently passed what has been hailed as the “broadest ” anti-trans bathroom bill in the US.
Known as SB 180, or the Women’s Bill of Rights, the legislation bans trans and intersex women from female-designated spaces such as toilets, changing rooms, and prison facilities.
The bill even goes so far as to forbid transgender women from visiting rape crisis centers and domestic abuse shelters.
In 2023, Governor Kelly vetoed the bill, but the Kansas Senate and House of Representatives overrode her veto.
According to the legal definitions, a female is defined as a person who produces “ova” or eggs, potentially exempting cisgender or postmenopausal from female spaces in the bill’s definitions.
SB 180 was passed by 84 votes to 40 in the House and 28-12 in the Senate.
In terms of transgender rights and legislation, Kansas has a complex history. The state has made some progress with the passage of SB 180, which highlights the ongoing fight for transgender rights in Kansas and throughout the state. Advocates continue to fight against discriminatory laws and work to advance transgender people’s rights and dignity.
Governor Kelly’s veto of SB 233 is a positive step for transgender rights, but the challenges ahead remain significant.
Transgender youth face unique challenges in getting access to care and support, so ensuring their safety and well-being is crucial.
Her decision challenges those who seek to marginalize the transgender community and sends a message of support for it.
Bill passes classifying “acts of homosexuality ” as “harmful to minors”
Despite her veto of the bill aiming to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly simultaneously allowed a law to pass that requires age-verification on websites hosting content deemed “harmful to minors ” which deems “acts of homosexuality ” part of this content. This law was passed without her signature.
This legislation impacts material classified as “harmful to minors ” under Kansas criminal law, including nudity and sexual content defined to include “acts of masturbation, homosexuality, or sexual intercourse. ”
Users are required to provide government-issued identification when viewing adult content online under the new age-verification law.
Parents are permitted to file a lawsuit for damages of at least$ 50,000 while websites can face fines of up to$ 10,000 for each instance of a minor accessing their content.
Democratic state representative critics of the bill Brandon Woodard, who is openly gay, argue that categorising “acts of homosexuality ” as harmful to minors portrays LGBTQ+ content as inherently damaging.
This provision could impact access to family-friendly media with queer characters, LGBTQ+ charities and community resources, or medical websites with information on gender and sexuality.
Opponents worry that the bill may cause privacy issues and make it harder for young people to access essential resources.
The law, which passed both chambers with bipartisan support, is a source of contention for Governor Kelly, who frequently signs bills with bipartisan support.
