Update: The Kansas Senate overturned Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s veto on Feb. 17, bringing the legislation one step closer to becoming law. The bill still has to be overturned in the Kansas House before it is enacted as law.
Kansas Senate Bill 244 was vetoed by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly Friday. The bill aimed to legally ban individuals from entering bathrooms and using state-issued identification that didn’t align with their sex at birth.
SB 244 can still pass into law with a two-thirds vote in the Kansas Senate and House. Before going to the governor, the bill passed 87-36 in the House and 30-9 in the Senate. If each senator and representative votes the same, the bill will be enacted into law.
While supporters of the bill claimed that it would protect women, opponents said it violated more than just transgender people’s right to use the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity.
The veto message from Kelly called the bill “poorly drafted,” claiming it would “have numerous and significant consequences far beyond the intent to limit the right for trans people to use the appropriate bathroom.”
Wm Noll • Feb 15, 2026 at 9:27 am
This state is going to miss this Governor’s fair thought process when dealing with sensitive issues, where I see just the opposite from the Republicans in our state. The lack of empathy and sensitivity towards certain people’s journey where they are trying to get by, fit in, and just wanting to be accepted, the Republicans are trying to do more harm than good. How about trying to find a better solution than do more damage to these people that are different, is that to much ask from the people that call themselves Christians. Please try and place yourselves in their shoes for a moment. Thank you Governor Kelly