Kansas Governor Laura Kelly (D) last week vetoed SB 233, a Senate bill that sought to prohibit minors from receiving gender-affirming care. The vetoed legislation covered a range of treatments for transgender youth, including surgery, hormone treatments, and puberty blockers, and further proposed the suspension of licenses for doctors providing these services and the restriction of state funds associated with such care.
In her statement following the veto, Governor Kelly maintained that her decision was influenced by the conviction that politics does not belong in medical decisions concerning children, a sentiment she summarized as follows:
“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.”
In response to this decision, Daniel Hawkins (R), the Speaker for the Kansas House of Representatives, expressed his disapproval by stating:
“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. House Republicans stand ready to override her veto to protect vulnerable Kansas kids.”
The veto by Governor Kelly comes at a time when the provision of gender-affirming care for minors has sparked nationwide debate. A variety of bans on all or most gender-affirming care for minors have been considered or passed in states such as Ohio, West Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, Montana, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
This legislative tug-of-war coincides with the strong position of The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which has publicly condemned such bans on gender-affirming care. The AAP endorses an integrative model for gender-affirmative care, including medical, mental health, and social services, and resources and supports specifically dedicated to parents and families.