ACLU condemns Kansas lawmakers’ repeat attack on Kansans’ personal healthcare decisions; urges governor veto
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 6, 2025
CONTACT: Esmie Tseng, Communications Director, ACLU of Kansas, [email protected]
TOPEKA, KAN. – After a failed veto override in the last legislative session, both houses of the Kansas Legislature have voted again this year’s session to pass an extreme bill that bans access to healthcare for transgender youth and that potentially censors a wide variety of conduct by state employees that could intrude into schools, therapist offices, and state agencies.
The bill, SB 63, now goes to Governor Laura Kelly’s desk for her signature or veto.
In response, Micah Kubic, ACLU of Kansas Executive Director, shared the following:
“Last year, Kansas families, state employees, medical providers, and mental health practitioners made their concerns about this extreme bill clear. At least some members of the legislature listened and responded accordingly to prevent it from passing.
Unfortunately, extremist politicians have renewed their blatant disregard for the warnings of countless professionals and seek to intrude on families’ ability to make life-saving healthcare decisions for themselves. Again, these politicians have cast a wide net in their assault: on the rights of transgender minors, on their families, and also on state employees, medical providers, and mental health practitioners.
We remain unconvinced that this legislature understands the real concerns and constitutional protections afforded to everyday Kansans, and their rush to push this government intrusion through demonstrates it all the more.
We urge Gov. Kelly to, once again, be a voice for those Kansans whom legislative majorities seek to silence and harm. We urge Gov. Kelly to veto this extremist, shameful attack on Kansans.”
The concerns of the nearly identical bill that failed a veto override attempt in the 2024 session again apply this year. Every form of treatment prohibited under the proposed ban can be accessed by non-transgender young people to treat other conditions, but the ban only seeks to restrict them for transgender youth. In addition to singling out and banning transgender youth from accessing healthcare that would remain available to non-trans youth, the gender-affirming care ban prohibits “state employee[s]” from “promot[ing]” the “use of social transitioning”. However, as in the 2024 session, the proposed law again fails to define these terms or, when a definition is provided, the definition is so broad that it could potentially prevent a wide variety of conduct. This conduct could be as simple as allowing youth to dress in a manner they desire or calling them by the pronouns both they and their parents support using.
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About the ACLU of Kansas: The ACLU of Kansas is the statewide affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU of Kansas is dedicated to preserving and advancing the civil rights and legal freedoms guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For more information, visit our website at www.aclukansas.org.
