Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) has vetoed a bill that aimed to prohibit gender-affirming care for minors in the Sunflower State.
In her veto message on Friday, Governor Kelly expressed her opposition to the divisive legislation, stating that it unfairly targets a small group of Kansans and imposes government mandates on them. She further argued that such legislation interferes with parents’ rights to raise and care for their children as they see fit, emphasizing that this goes against conservative and Kansas values.
Kelly strongly opposes the legislation, stating that it infringes upon parental rights. She firmly believes that politicians should never come between a parent and a child in need of any form of medical treatment.
She continued, expressing her concern that the legislation does exactly what she had feared.
The proposed legislation, known as Substitute Bill for Senate Bill 233, aimed to prohibit gender-affirming care procedures, such as surgery and hormone treatments, for individuals under 18 in Kansas. Governor Kelly had previously vetoed similar legislation last year, and Republicans were unable to overturn her veto.
Cathryn Oakley, the senior director of legal policy at the LGBTQ rights group Human Rights Campaign, expressed her appreciation for Governor Kelly’s veto in a press release. Oakley acknowledged that bills like SB 233 are nothing but harmful misinformation and deliberate efforts to target vulnerable youth, all in an attempt to incite anti-LGBTQ+ extremists. The group continues to extend their gratitude to Governor Kelly for recognizing these dangerous tactics and taking a stand against them.
According to Oakley, if any legislation aims to prohibit medically necessary healthcare for transgender individuals, without any valid reason, it would be nothing more than discrimination. Oakley emphasizes that health care decisions should be made by doctors, patients, and families, rather than politicians.
