Supporters of Gender Care Ban for Minors in Kansas Unsuccessful in Overturning Governor’s Veto

In Kansas, Republican lawmakers were unable to override the Democratic governor’s veto of a proposed ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors.

The vote in the state House to reverse Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto was 82-43, falling two votes short of the required two-thirds majority.

Two Republicans who previously supported the bill voted against overriding the veto due to concerns about provisions, including one that would have prohibited state employees from advocating social transitioning for transgender youth.

The Senate, on the other hand, successfully voted 27-13 to override the veto, meeting the necessary two-thirds majority in that chamber.

The bill defined social transitioning as “the changing of an individual’s preferred pronouns or manner of dress,” and the rule against promoting it would have applied to state workers responsible for children. However, the measure did not specify what actions constitute promoting social transitioning.