1. United States
2. Kan.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge Governor Laura Kelly to veto Senate Bill 244, the transgender bathroom ban passed by the Kansas Legislature on January 28, 2026. This legislation represents a cruel attack on the basic dignity and safety of transgender Kansans and sets a dangerous precedent for government overreach into people's most private decisions. SB 244 would restrict transgender people's access to bathrooms and locker rooms in public schools, universities, libraries, courthouses, and city halls based on sex assigned at birth. Violations could result in fines and criminal charges investigated by the attorney general. The bill even requires previously changed sex designations on Kansas driver's licenses and birth certificates to be reverted, erasing legal recognition that transgender Kansans have already obtained. Beyond the direct harm to transgender individuals, this bill threatens all Kansans. It invites government surveillance of bathroom use and empowers strangers to file complaints about others based on appearance. This creates an environment of suspicion and policing that affects anyone who doesn't conform to narrow gender stereotypes, including cisgender people. The legislative process used to pass SB 244 was fundamentally undemocratic. This was a "gut and go" bill where the original content about bail bond regulations was completely removed and replaced with bathroom restrictions from HB 2426 at a hearing without notice. Representative Dan Osman called it "procedurally, the absolute worst bill I have ever heard in the Kansas Legislature," noting the process was designed "to ensure that the absolute least number of people were available as opponents to this bill and that they were unaware that there would even be a hearing." This deliberate elimination of public comment violates the principles of transparent governance. If enacted, Kansas would join 20 states with such laws, affecting vulnerable community members who simply need to access basic facilities. I urge Governor Kelly to stand with all Kansans by vetoing this harmful legislation.