Kansas has become the 20th state to pass a transgender student athlete ban into law.
Kansas lawmakers in both chambers overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto Wednesday of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, her third veto in as many years on such legislation. The vote was 84-40 in the House and 28-12 in the Senate, meeting the two-thirds majority for an override.
“It certainly is disappointing. I know that there’s some legislators for whom this was a very, very hard vote, and one that I think they will regret as they look back on their time in the Legislature,” Kelly told reporters in Olathe Wednesday.
Transgender girls will now be barred from playing girls and women’s sports from kindergarten through college.
The legislation, which takes effect July 1, requires children to participate in school activities based on the gender assigned to them at birth. The Kansas Reflector reports that challenges could require a student athlete to undergo genital inspections or require a birth certificate for proof of the child’s gender.
Following the vote, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach applauded the legislature’s override of the governor’s veto.
“As the father of five daughters who are involved in sports, I care deeply about the fairness in girls’ sports,” Kobach said. “If any group challenges this law in court, I will defend it vigorously. And I am confident that the law will survive any challenge.”
U.S. Senator Roger Marshall also issued a statement via Twitter…
In Kansas, we believe in science. We believe women are born women. We will never waiver in our fight to stand up for biological women in sports and never accept men competing in women’s sports.
And for the record, we drink Coors.https://t.co/ftDof0TP8O
— Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) April 5, 2023
