By a vote yesterday of 81 to 41, the Kansas House of Representatives sustained the veto of this year’s attempt to erase trans and gender non-conforming students. Yesterday’s action follows the Kansas Senate’s Tuesday vote of 28-10 to override Governor Kelly’s veto.
SB 160, which the backers called the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” would have unfairly prevented transgender school kids, as early as Kindergarten, from playing sports or participating in competitive activities with their friends. As we’ve seen with discussions on trans issues in Kansas and around the nation, yesterday’s House debate was rife with misinformation, misgendering, and open bigotry. Fortunately, even the Republican supermajority could not reach the 84-vote threshold needed to override Governor Kelly’s veto.
All Democratic state representatives voted to sustain the Governor’s veto, along with four Republicans who stood with LGBT Kansans to turn back this latest attempt to attack an already vulnerable population.
If you have a few minutes this weekend, take some time to send thank you notes to the legislators who voted to sustain the veto. It’s particularly important that Republicans who voted to sustain hear from you. They are being threatened with primaries, along with other internal discipline, by their own party leadership. While many of us look with disdain on a Republican Party that has made attacking the LGBTQ community a core part of their platform, those who stood with us still deserve your gratitude. Follow the links below for contact information.
House Republicans voting to sustain: Dave Baker, Brad Ralph, Mark Samsel, Mark Schreiber
Senate Republicans voting to sustain: Brenda Dietrich
All House Democrats and Senate Democrats opposed the bill and either voted to sustain the veto or were absent the day of the vote.
Finally, please send your thanks to Governor Laura Kelly, who has supported LGBTQ equality since her first day as a Senator in 2005.
