News & Commentary

Harper Seldin, a senior staff attorney for the ACLU’s LGBTQ and HIV Project, told Salon that the law makes it next to impossible to be a transgender person in Kansas, effectively pushing the community out of public life. “If you cannot use the restroom at work, you cannot be employed. If you cannot use the restroom at school, you cannot go to school. If you cannot use your driver’s license without fear of being outed as transgender — which many people treat as extraordinarily private information, in part because of the risk of harassment, or even untoward questions — you really can’t go about your life,” he told Salon. “Think of all the things that you need to use a driver’s license for in Kansas, including vote.”

Despite some local leaders sharing concerns about voters losing early voting access, the Johnson County Election Office is moving forward with changes to advance voting locations, including several closures, for the August primary election. In May, Election Commissioner Connie Schmidt notified the Johnson County Board of Commissioners that the Election Office plans to close eight advance voting locations throughout the county, but will add two new locations in rapidly growing Spring Hill and De Soto.

ACLU of Kansas director Micah Kubic said: “This is a blatant attack by the legislators on our justices, and it’s part of a decades-long pattern of politicians attempting to punish the judicial branch for issuing decisions on education and reproductive freedom that they disagree with.”

“The clemency process provides a second chance in a criminal legal system that has been shown to be overly punitive and devastating to families and communities,” the ACLU statement said. “This process includes careful consideration by the governor on a case by case basis.”

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas is calling on Johnson County’s Interim Election Commissioner Connie Schmidt to reverse a decision to eliminate eight advance voting sites ahead of the Aug. 4 primary.

With the ACLU, two Lawrence transgender men filed a lawsuit challenging both provisions of the new law, including the requirement for transgender people to use the bathroom of their sex assigned at birth in government buildings. Miller’s lawsuit only focuses on the part that invalidated driver’s licenses.

A Kansas coalition made up of about 70 organizations launched a grassroots canvassing campaign against a constitutional amendment. Kansas United for Impartial Courts rounded up volunteer door-knockers in Lenexa and Wichita to encourage people to vote Aug. 5 against selecting Kansas Supreme Court justices by general election.

If they do have an arrest warrant, ICE officers can enter the home of the person on the warrant if they think that person is in the home. But removal/deportation warrants don’t allow officers to enter the home without permission, according to the ACLU.

“This is an enormous relief to our clients and families across the state of Kansas,” said Harper Seldin, a senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Kansas’ LGBT & HIV Rights Project.