Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, a Democrat, vetoed a package of bills passed by the Republican-dominated legislature on Thursday. The bills sought to limit the rights of trans people in various ways, such as preventing them from using bathrooms and public facilities that align with their gender identity and banning gender-affirming care for trans youth.
In a statement explaining her vetoes, Kelly condemned the discriminatory nature of the bills and the potential harm they could cause to the Kansas economy. “Companies have made it clear that they are not interested in doing business with states that discriminate against workers and their families,” Kelly said. “By stripping away rights from Kansans and opening the state up to expensive and unnecessary lawsuits, these bills would hurt our ability to continue breaking economic records and landing new business deals.”
However, the fight for trans rights is not over in Kansas. The legislature appears to have enough votes to override Kelly’s vetoes on at least three of the four bills. The only bill that may not be overridden is the one banning gender-affirming care, as 14 House Republicans voted against it.
The Human Rights Campaign praised Kelly’s veto, calling the bills “designed solely to discriminate against LGBTQ+ – particularly transgender – Kansans.” However, the organization acknowledged the continued threat to trans rights in the state.
This is not the first time that the Kansas legislature has passed anti-trans legislation. Earlier this month, lawmakers passed the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” banning transgender girls and women in kindergarten through college from participating in girls’ and women’s school sports. Kelly vetoed the bill, but the legislature overrode her veto.
Kelly has a history of championing LGBTQ+ rights. When she first became governor in 2019, she signed an executive order restoring protections for LGBTQ+ state employees. “Discrimination of any kind has no place in Kansas,” Kelly tweeted. “It will not be tolerated.”
As the fight for trans rights continues in Kansas, the state remains an important battleground for LGBTQ+ equality. The outcome of this battle will have repercussions not just for trans Kansans, but for LGBTQ+ people across the country.