A Kansas bill that would have banned transgender-related medical procedures for minors was defeated Monday after two Republicans switched their votes, forcing the Republican-controlled Legislature to ban transgender-related medical procedures from Gov. Laura Kelly ( The Democratic Party) was prevented from overriding its veto.
The Kansas House overrode Kelly’s veto of the bill by an 82-43 vote, leaving supporters two votes short of the required two-thirds majority. according to To the Associated Press.
On Monday, the Kansas Senate voted 27-13 to override the governor’s veto, giving proponents exactly the margin they needed.
The bill would reportedly ban transgender-related surgeries, puberty blockers and hormone treatments for minors.
Additionally, the bill would prohibit state employees who work with children from facilitating the transition of children who question their biological sex.
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly (D) (AP Photo/John Hanna)
Republican lawmakers who supported the bill argue that the ban would protect vulnerable children from experimental medical treatments they believe could cause long-term health problems.
Supporters of the bill also point to the National Health Service’s (NHS) decision to stop using puberty blockers as standard treatment for gender dysphoria in minors.
Critics of the bill reportedly focus on provisions in the bill aimed at blocking state employees from making transition claims.
Republican state Reps. Jesse Boljon of Topeka and Susan Concannon of Beloit, who voted in favor of the bill in April, said they did not want to vote to override Kelly’s veto, saying parts of the bill were too vague. I didn’t respond.
Kansas Rep. Jesse Boljon (R-Topeka) (AP Photo/John Hanna)
Borjon said the bill’s provisions would force health care providers to phase out puberty blockers and hormone treatments for existing patients by the end of 2024, but not allow patients to continue body-altering drugs after that. He said he objected to the.
“These decisions are made between a team of experts and parents,” said Concannon, who voted “no.” “Young people need our help, not government overreach. To everyone who has reached out, we hear you.”
Kansas Rep. Susan Concannon (R-Beloit) (AP Photo/John Hanna)
According to the Williams Institute, 300,000 children between the ages of 13 and 17 identify as transgender in the United States, and an estimated 2,100 children in the same age group identify as transgender in Kansas. are doing.
As Breitbart News reported, research strongly suggests that social contagion is a factor in why many teens and young adults identify as transgender.
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