Kansas legislature passes bill banning transgender restroom usage

The bill passed the Republican-controlled legislature on Tuesday when the Senate voted 28-12 for its passage. Senate Bill 180 is headed to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk where she is expected to veto it. Both the House and Senate have the votes to overrule the governor’s veto. The Kansas House passed the bill 83-41 last week.

What does the bill regulate? It requires individuals to use the public restrooms of the sex listed on their birth certificates and defines sex as “male or female, at birth.” It also would prevent individuals from changing their gender and name on their driver’s licenses. The bill applies to school restrooms and locker rooms, as well as jails, rape crisis centers, and domestic violence shelters. In such facilities, lawmakers determined that safety considerations required separate facilities for men and women.

Dig deeper: Read Andrew T. Walker’s column in WORLD Opinions about the mental health problems associated with transgenderism.