Kansas’s Democratic Governor Laura Kelly has vetoed Senate Bill 63, which would ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth, marking her third consecutive veto on the issue.
The bill, known as the Help Not Harm Act, would prevent minors diagnosed with gender dysphoria from receiving medical treatments like puberty blockers, hormone therapy, or surgeries. It also threatens healthcare professionals who continue offering such care with losing their medical licenses and cuts state support for transition-related services.
Governor Kelly expressed disappointment over the Legislature’s push to interfere with private medical decisions, emphasizing that such legislation conflicts with Kansas values, particularly the right of parents to make healthcare decisions for their children. She also warned that this bill could drive businesses and healthcare professionals out of the state, worsening economic and workforce challenges.
Kansas Republicans, however, argue that the law is necessary to protect children from making irreversible medical decisions. Despite Kelly’s veto, Republicans, including state House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson, have indicated that they are prepared to override it, with the Senate having passed the bill with a significant majority.
The House was one vote shy of the two-thirds majority needed to override, but Republicans remain confident in securing an override in the next legislative session.
The debate over this bill is part of a broader national discussion on the rights of transgender individuals, especially minors, with many states moving toward similar bans on gender-affirming care. Major medical organizations, however, argue that such care is essential and lifesaving for transgender individuals.