New Law Puts Kansas At Vanguard Of Denying Trans Identities On Official Documents

TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas is group to invalidate astir 1,700 driver’s licenses held by transgender residents and astir arsenic galore commencement certificates nether a caller rule that goes beyond Republican-imposed restrictions successful different states connected listing gender identities successful authorities documents.

The caller rule takes effect Thursday. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed nan measure, but nan Legislature’s GOP supermajorities overrode it past week arsenic Republican authorities lawmakers crossed nan U.S. person pursued different information of measures to rotation backmost transgender rights.

The measure prohibits documents from listing immoderate activity different than nan 1 assigned commencement and invalidates immoderate that bespeak a conflicting gender identity. Florida, Tennessee and Texas besides don’t let driver’s licenses to bespeak a trans person’s gender identity, and astatine slightest 8 states too Kansas person policies that barroom trans residents from changing their commencement certificates.

But only Kansas’ rule requires reversing changes antecedently made for trans residents. Kansas officials expect to cancel astir 1,700 driver’s licenses and rumor caller commencement certificates for up to 1,800 people.

“It tells maine that Kansas Republicans are willing successful being connected nan vanguard of nan civilization warfare and successful a title to nan bottom,” said Democratic authorities Rep. Abi Boatman, a transgender Air Force seasoned appointed successful January to capable a vacant Wichita seat.

Kansas’ caller rule enjoyed astir unanimous GOP support. It is nan latest improvement successful what has go an yearly effort to further rotation backmost transgender authorities by Republicans successful statehouses crossed nan U.S., bolstered by policies and rhetoric from President Trump’s administration.

Trump and different Republicans onslaught research-backed conclusions that gender tin alteration aliases beryllium fluid, which they framework arsenic extremist “gender ideology.” GOP lawmakers successful Kansas regularly picture transgender girls and women arsenic male, and opportunity that successful doing truthful they are protecting women.

Like different Republicans, Kansas Senate Majority Leader Chase Blasi said Trump’s reelection and different GOP victories successful 2024 show that voters want “to return to communal sense” connected gender.

“When I spell home, group judge location are conscionable 2 sexes, antheral and female,” Blasi said. “It’s basal biology I learned successful precocious school.”

Kelly supports transgender rights, but GOP lawmakers person overridden her vetoes 3 of nan past 4 years. Kansas bans gender-affirming attraction for minors and bars transgender women and girls from female sports teams, kindergarten done college.

Transgender group can’t usage nationalist restrooms, locker rooms aliases different single-sex accommodation associated pinch their gender identities, though location was nary enforcement system until this year’s rule added reliable caller provisions.

Transgender group person said carrying IDs that misgender them opens them to intrusive questions, harassment and moreover unit erstwhile they show it to police, merchants and others.

In 2023, Republicans halted changes successful Kansas commencement certificates and driver’s licenses by enacting a measurement ending nan state’s ineligible nickname of trans residents’ gender identities. Though nan rule didn’t mention either document, it legally defined antheral and female by a person’s “biological reproductive system” astatine birth.

However, a suit led to authorities tribunal decisions that permitted driver’s licence changes to resume past year.

Legislators successful astatine slightest 7 different states are considering bills to forestall transgender group from changing 1 aliases some documents, according to a search utilizing nan bill-tracking package Plural.

But nary would reverse past changes.

The other measurement by Kansas legislators reinforces a connection “that trans group aren’t welcome,” said Anthony Alvarez, a transgender University of Kansas student who useful for an LGBTQ+ authorities group.

Kansas is apt to notify transgender residents by message that their driver’s licenses are nary longer valid and they request to spell to a section licensing agency to get a caller one, said Zachary Denney, spokesperson for nan agency that issues them.

The Legislature hasn’t earmarked costs to screen nan cost, truthful each personification will beryllium charged for it — $26 for a modular license.

Alvarez already has had 4 IDs successful 4 years arsenic he’s changed his name, changed his gender marker and turned 21.

He’s ever planned to enactment successful his autochthonal Kansas aft receiving his history grade this spring.

But, he said, “they’re conscionable making it harder and harder for maine to unrecorded successful nan authorities that I love.”

Hanna writes for nan Associated Press.