MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR

House Substitute for Senate Bill No. 233

An Act concerning children and minors; relating to healthcare of minors; enacting the forbidding abusive child transitions act; prohibiting healthcare providers from treating a child whose gender identity is inconsistent with the child’s sex; authorizing a civil cause of action against healthcare providers for providing such treatments; restricting use of state funds to promote gender transitioning; prohibiting professional liability insurance from covering damages for healthcare providers that provide gender transition treatment to children; requiring professional discipline against a healthcare provider who performs such treatments; adding violation of the act to the definition of unprofessional conduct for physicians; amending K.S.A. 65-2837 and repealing the existing section.

Message to the Legislature of the State of Kansas:

This divisive legislation targets a small group of Kansans by placing government mandates on them and dictating to parents how to best raise and care for their children. I do not believe that is a conservative value, and it’s certainly not a Kansas value.

To be clear, this legislation tramples parental rights.

The last place that I would want to be as a politician is between a parent and a child who needed medical care of any kind. And, yet, that is exactly what this legislation does.

If the legislature paid this much attention to the other 99.8% of students, we’d have the best schools on earth.

Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto House Substitute for Senate Bill 233.

Laura Kelly, Governor

Dated April 12, 2024.