Kansas Governor Laura Kelly vetoed a bill that would have banned transgender medical treatments for minors, including surgery and puberty blockers.
Republicans, who have supermajorities in the state legislature, supported the bill to protect children from life-altering procedures.
Kelly said the bill trampled parental rights and targeted a small group.
“This divisive legislation targets a small group of Kansans by placing government mandates on them and dictating to parents how to best raise and care for their children. I do not believe that is a conservative value, and it’s certainly not a Kansas value,” Kelly said. “To be clear, this legislation tramples parental rights.”
Republicans said they were ready to override the veto, arguing other jurisdictions are reversing course on experimental transgender treatments for children.
“As we watch other states, nations, and organizations reverse course on these experimental procedures on children, Laura Kelly will most surely find herself on the wrong side of history with her reckless veto of this common-sense protection for Kansas minors,” Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins said.
Last year, the legislature overrode Kelly’s veto of a bill defining sex as biological rather than identity-based.
Over 20 states have enacted similar laws restricting transgender medical interventions for minors amid debates over whether they violate anti-discrimination protections or protect vulnerable children.
