Kansas Approves Ban On Gender-Affirming Care—Likely Next State To Join Wave Of State Restrictions

[Valin]

Forbes

Ty Roush
Apr 7, 2023

Topline

The Kansas state legislature approved a bill Friday that will ban gender-affirming care for all minors—as an expected veto by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly will likely be overridden by the Republican-led House and Senate—following efforts in other states that have passed similar bills targeting transgender access and health care over the last week.

Key Facts

The Kansas Child Mutilation Act will require the state’s medical board to revoke the licenses of doctors who provide gender-affirming care to minors, including gender-reassignment surgeries, hormone therapy and drugs that block puberty.

If Kelly—who said she would reject any bill “that aims to harm or discriminate” the state’s LGBTQ community— vetoes the measure, it is likely to be overridden, as Republicans hold a supermajority in both the House and Senate.

On Wednesday, the state legislature overrode Kelly’s veto of a bill that bans transgender female athletes from participating in school sports.

The state Senate also approved a bill Tuesday that would prevent transgender people from changing the gender on their driver’s licenses and from accessing bathrooms, locker rooms and other facilities that match their gender identity.

(Snip)