Kansas Dem Gov. Laura Kelly vetoes hot-button bills, sets up showdown with GOP legislature

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Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) on Friday vetoed several bills sought by Republicans, including one that would ban transgender girls on female sports teams, according to reports. 

The bill would require public schools and state colleges to categorize sports teams based on an athlete’s gender at birth. 

Kelly, a first-term governor who is up for re-election in November, accused Republican lawmakers of trying to score political points while arguing that the transgender athlete ban would impact the state's ability to attract and keep businesses.

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Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly speaks during an event at the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka, Kan., Thursday, March 24, 2022. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

"We all want a fair and safe place for our kids to play and compete. However, this bill didn’t come from the experts at our schools, our athletes, or the Kansas State High School Activities Association. It came from politicians trying to score political points," Kelly, a Democrat, said, via the Kansas City Star. 

Republican lawmakers and Senate President Ty Masterson, (R-Andover), argued that allowing trans females to take part in sports with biological females would create unfair competitive advantages. 

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"It’s about protecting the women who worked and trained all her life and should not have her hard work wiped out by being forced to compete on unlevel playing fields," Masterson said. 

At least fifteen states have enacted laws on transgender athletes, including Kentucky this week. Kelly vetoed a similar measure last year.

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