Kansas Republicans successfully overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a bill that aims to bar transgender individuals from using public bathrooms that match their gender identity.
The bill, SB 244, requires government buildings, including public schools and universities, to “take every reasonable step” to segregate restrooms and locker rooms by sex.
Individuals found in violation of the law could be fined or sued up to $1,000.
The bill also bars Kansans from changing the gender marker on state-issued driver’s licenses and birth certificates.
In her statement issuing her veto, Kelly called the bill “poorly drafted” and said it could lead to unintended consequences, like female family members being unable to visit their grandfather in a nursing home.
“I believe the Legislature should stay out of the business of telling Kansans how to go to the bathroom and instead stay focused on how to make life more affordable for Kansans,” Kelly said in her statement.
Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins replied with his own statement Friday.
“Instead of standing with the overwhelming majority of Kansans on this issue, the Governor chose to appease her most radical supporters at the cost of women and girls in our state,” Hawkins said.
In override votes this week, all Johnson County lawmakers voted along party lines, with Democrats voting “no” and Republicans voting “yes.”
All Johnson County lawmakers repeated their votes for the original legislation.
Here’s how they voted:
House:
- Bohi — Yes
- Clayton — No
- Croft — Yes
- Esau — Yes
- Essex — Yes
- Featherston — No
- Hoye — No
- McDonald — No
- Meyer — No
- Neighbor — No
- Osman — No
- Ousley — No
- Poskin —No
- Resman — Yes
- Ruiz — No
- Sappington — Yes
- Stiens — Yes
- Stogsdill — No
- Sutton — Yes
- Tarwater — Yes
- Turk — Yes
- Turner — Yes
- VanHouden — Yes
- Vaughn — No
- Williams — Yes
- Woodard — No
- Xu — No
Senate:
- Corson — No
- Gossage — Yes
- Holscher — No
- Pettey — No
- Rose — Yes
- Shane — Yes
- Sykes — No
- Thomas — Yes
- Thompson — Yes
- Warren — Yes
