Kansas Bill to Ban Transgender Medical Procedures for Minors Fails

A proposed Kansas bill seeking to ban transgender-related medical procedures for minors failed on Monday after two Republicans switched their votes, stopping the Republican-controlled legislature from overriding Gov. Laura Kelly’s (D) veto of the initiative.

The Kansas House voted 82 to 43 to overturn Kelly’s veto of the bill, leaving supporters of the legislation two votes short of obtaining the necessary two-thirds majority, according to the Associated Press.

On Monday, the Kansas Senate voted 27 to 13 to override the governor’s veto, resulting in the exact margin supporters needed.

The legislation would have reportedly banned transgender-related surgeries for minors, as well as puberty blockers and hormone treatments.

Additionally, the bill would have barred state employees who work with children from promoting social transitioning for kids who question their biological sex.

Republicans who supported the legislation say a ban would protect vulnerable children from what they consider experimental health care that could create long-term health problems.

Supporters of the bill have also cited the National Health Service’s (NHS) decision to halt coverage for puberty blockers as a standard treatment for gender dysphoria in minors.

Critics of the legislation have reportedly honed in on the provision of the bill aimed at preventing state workers from advocating for social transitioning.

Republican State Reps. Jesse Borjon (Topeka) and Susan Concannon (Beloit), who voted in favor of the legislation in April, did not vote to override Kelly’s veto, arguing that parts of the bill were too vague.

Borjon said he took issue with a section of the legislation that would have made providers phase out puberty blockers and hormone treatments for existing patients by the end of 2024, while not allowing those patients to continue the body-altering drugs after that.

“These decisions belong between the team of professionals and the parents,” Concannon said, explaining her “no” vote. “The youth need our help, not government overreach. To all who have reached out, I hear you.”

A staggering 300,000 kids ages 13 to 17 identify as transgender in the United States, according to the Williams Institute, which estimates that about 2,100 kids in that age group identify as transgender in the state of Kansas.

As Breitbart News reported, studies strongly suggest that social contagion is a factor for many teenagers and young adults identifying as transgender.

You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and X/Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.