TOPEKA β The Kansas Senate approved with a bipartisan supermajority a bill prohibiting health professionals from providing gender-affirming care to minors and enforcing that statewide ban with civil, financial and regulatory sanctions for violators. The Senate voted on Wednesday to forward the legislation to the Kansas House, where it was expected to be approved and sent to Gov. Laura Kelly. The Democratic governor vetoed a comparable bill last year, but the Legislature was unable to pull together two-thirds majorities necessary to override her.
He said surgeries, puberty blockers and other measures violated the duty of a medical professional to do no harm to the patient. The legislation was part of a multi-year campaign in Kansas to stop individuals under the age of 18 from receiving gender-affirming care.
It was a political rejection of decisions by Kansans to seek treatment to address a condition described as gender dysphoria, in which a person experienced distress due to a mismatch between biological sex and gender identity. Health and medical associations warned of harmful consequences to closing off care for youth. Opponents of the measure said it was outrageous to place in statute potential civil penalties and license revocations for professionals working within their scope of practice.
Such a law could be challenged on constitutional grounds. Eight of nine Democrats in the Senate voted against the measure. All 31 Republicans voted for the bill, and that veto-proof majority was bolstered by support from Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, offered an amendment β it was defeated β that would have allowed minors taking medication related to gender-affirming treatment to continue that regimen after a Dec. Identical bills were introduced in the House and Senate to advance the anti-transgender agenda.
Republican Sen. Ron Bryce of Coffeyville was responsible for House Bill Committees in both chambers conducted public hearings on the bills, but the full Senate acted first. Under Senate Bill 63, a civil cause of action would be created for lawsuits against health professionals involved in gender-affirming chemical or surgical interventions with minors. The bill would prevent professional liability insurance from covering damages related to these suits.
