After three legislative sessions the so-called “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” is now law.
Both the Kansas Senate and House of Representatives voted Wednesday to override Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of House Bill 2238. The legislation now bars transgender women from taking part in girls’ or women’s sports at the Kindergarten through College level.
76th District Republican Representative Eric Smith of Burlington supported the bill saying the bill was designed to “put fairness in women’s sports.” Smith adds it’s his belief that allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports would be regressive to past legislation such as Title IX.
17th District Republican Senator Jeff Longbine of Emporia also voted in favor of the legislation saying he is looking toward the future.
60th District Republican Representative Mark Schreiber of Emporia voted against the legislation saying he believes regulation of athletics should be left to regulating bodies such as the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) and National College Athletic Association (NCAA) and adds he found the age range covered in the bill to be “inappropriate.” Furthermore, Schreiber believes the bill’s passage sends a strong and negative message to the state’s entire LGBTQ+ population.
13th District Republican Representative Duane Droge also voted for the legislation earlier in the session. KVOE has reached out to Droge for comment on Wednesday’s developments.
The override of Governor Kelly’s veto Wednesday follows the passage of a bill Tuesday by the Kansas Senate that would restrict access to public bathrooms for transgender people and prevent them from changing the name or gender on their driver’s licenses. Governor Kelly is expected to veto the bill, however, that veto is expected to be overridden as well by both the House and Senate.
