Kansas

Kansas lawmakers have new bill banning gender marker changes on ID

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2 months ago

January 17, 2026

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Kansas lawmakers have new bill banning gender marker changes on ID

Kansas lawmakers are considering a new bill to ban gender marker changes on state identification.
The proposed legislation follows court rulings that allowed gender marker changes to resume, despite a 2023 law.
Attorney General Kris Kobach argues the new bill is needed to remove ambiguity that courts found in the previous law.
The bill would also invalidate previously approved gender marker changes on driver’s licenses and birth certificates.

Kansas lawmakers have new legislation under consideration to ban gender marker changes on state identification.

The introduction of House Bill 2426 comes after the Kansas Supreme Court denied a petition for review filed by Attorney General Kris Kobach following a Kansas Court of Appeals decision.

That move meant the Kansas Department of Revenue could resume gender marker changes on driver’s licenses and other state ID cards for transgender people, despite Kobach’s assertion that a 2023 law known as Senate Bill 180 banned such changes.

That law, also known as the Women’s Bill of Rights, strictly defines sex based on reproductive anatomy at birth. The text of the law is a little over one page and lacks details.

Jason Long, a senior assistant revisor of statutes, told lawmakers that HB 2426 would “address the issues” raised by the courts with SB 180.

While SB 180 never made explicit reference to driver’s licenses or gender, Kobach told lawmakers the court rulings “defeated the intent of SB 180” and the law now “does nothing, it has no practical effect on anything.”

“So what this bill does is remove the wiggle room that the Kansas Court of Appeals seized upon,” he said.

The new bill would define gender to mean biological sex at birth for purposes of statutory construction. It would also direct the Revenue Department to invalidate licenses that have already had gender marker changes approved. A similar directive would be given to the Office of Vital Statistics to invalidate any birth certificates that have been changed.

With its first committee hearing of 2026, the House Judiciary Committee held a bill hearing on HB 2426 on Jan. 13. The bill was sponsored by the committee chair, Rep. Susan Humphries, R-Wichita, who said the committee was “starting off with a bang” and predicted a hearing “filled with emotion.” Two Capitol Police officers were posted in the room.

A day before the meeting, the agenda item was listed on the House calendar as an “informational discussion on driver’s license gender marker policy.” At some point, it was converted into a bill hearing.

House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, told reporters there was than 24 hours notice to the public and even less time for people to submit testimony.

“They do those sorts of things in an attempt to shield,” Woodard said. “They know that the public’s not on the side with them.”

“We’re only doing this because Kobach keeps losing in court,” he said of the bill.

None of the written testimony was immediately available to attendees or on the Legislature’s website. A committee assistant indicated there was so much opposition testimony that it couldn’t be uploaded before the hearing because it is “a huge undertaking.”

In addition to Kobach, there were a handful of other supporters. Several opponents testified in person, including some who are transgender Kansans or have relatives who are.

“I’m sure there will be people who want to debate the merits of SB 180 all over again, and that’s not really my job,” Kobach said.

Humphries said there is no fiscal note quantifying the cost of the bill because staff “haven’t had time” to produce one.

New bill would address ambiguity in law

Kobach said the new bill “will remove any ambiguity” in the law.

“Courts oftentimes see ambiguity in statutes, and no statute is perfect, and sometimes you can’t remove ambiguity because of the nature of the subject matter,” Kobach said. “But in this particular case, the Court of Appeals, I believe, twisted the ambiguity to create a meaning that renders the law a dead letter.”

As part of their June 2025 ruling, the appellate judges said SB 180 “can reasonably be interpreted to be limited to ‘sex’ to the exclusion of ‘gender.’” The three-judge panel was comprised of Chief Judge Sarah Warner and Judges Stephen Hill and Karen Arnold-Burger.

Kobach said it was a “mistake” for the Court of Appeals to say gender and sex have different meanings. Kobach argued the terms are interchangeable under state law.

The judges said in their ruling “the Legislature could have included a definition of ‘gender’” in SB 180, or in separate statutes on driver’s licenses they could have written a definition where gender meant biological sex assigned at birth.

The judges said lawmakers may have a variety of reasons for the words they choose to use.

“We simply cannot assume that the Legislature sloppily and hastily adopted legislation with a complete lack of awareness of the context … we must and do give our committed public servants in the Legislature more credit than that,” they said in their ruling.

During oral arguments in January 2025, the judges and attorneys suggested lawmakers could have done a better job writing the first-in-the-nation law based on model legislation. Even Anthony Powell, who is Kobach’s solicitor general, said, “The Legislature didn’t consider every angle.”

Kobach apparently disagrees.

“I think the Legislature did a fine job in passing it, and absent judicial activism, we wouldn’t be standing here right now,” Kobach said.

He accused the appellate court of stepping “out of its judicial role and acts in a legislative capacity and says, we are going to act to change or add meaning to a statute.”

The judges indicated they believe they were doing the opposite.

“It is not the court’s role to ‘rewrite legislation,’” the judges said in their ruling. “It is only by rewriting this statute that we arrive at the conclusion propounded by the AG, that they are identical.”

During oral arguments, judges and attorneys openly suggested lawmakers could amend the law to address the issue of interpreting ambiguous laws.

“There’s nothing to prevent the Legislature tomorrow from introducing legislation to define gender in the way they’re arguing it should be defined, the same as they have defined sex,” Arnold-Burger said during oral arguments.

Lawmakers in the 2025 session didn’t heed that advice. A year later, such legislation has been introduced. Kobach said the bill’s clear definitions “will end the litigation, and we will no longer be spending hundreds of attorney man hours on this and clogging the court’s docket as well with this very litigious issue.”

What Republican and Democratic leaders say about bill’s priority

Republican leadership was asked why the bill is a priority during a Jan. 13 gaggle with reporters.

“Because it’s a vital statistic,” said Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover. “If you can change something on your birth certificate, why can’t you change the date?”

“Why can’t you change your age?” asked House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita.

“Those are statistics of factual record, and they just need to be what they are,” Masterson said. “That’ll go quickly. I don’t even think you’ll see a lot of controversy in the Legislature on it.”

He did say he expects it to be a partisan issue.

“I don’t know why they keep supporting the boogeyman this much, but for whatever reason, Kris Kobach loses in court so much that they have to change the law so they can actually get a win in the Supreme Court,” said Woodard, the House minority leader, during a Jan. 15 gaggle with reporters.

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, said, “It is not a top issue for Kansans.”

Woodard said Republicans pushing the bill so early in session shows, “Their priority is focused on culture war issues.”

“This is two years in a row of their top priority being bashing on trans people in Kansas, which does nothing to make it more affordable to live, work or raise a family here,” he said.

Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.

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Police: Bomb-like device started fire at Kansas lake

Published

11 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

Police: Bomb-like device started fire at Kansas lake

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department is currently investigating a fire that occurred at Wyandotte County Lake.

Just after 5p.m. Wednesday, a witness reported hearing a loud boom and observed a white male, approximately 6-foot-1 inches tall with blond hair, wearing a long-sleeve black shirt with Saint Patrick’s-themed decorations and blue jeans, running from the area, according to a media release from Kansas City, Kansas Police.

Shortly after, a brush fire ignited. KCKPD officers, Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Deputies, and KCK Fire Department personnel responded to the scene. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire. A small incendiary device was located at the scene. No injuries were reported.

This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD EOD unit. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

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Kansas opens $2.3M in victim assistance grants; KCK shelter says timing is critical

Published

23 hours ago

March 18, 2026

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Kansas opens .3M in victim assistance grants; KCK shelter says timing is critical

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) – More than $2.3 million in victim assistance grants is now available for Kansas organizations that serve crime victims, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced Wednesday.

Six state grant programs administered through the Office of the Attorney General are open for application. The funding supports nonprofits and government agencies statewide that provide direct services to crime victims, including domestic violence shelters, sexual assault agencies, child advocacy centers, child exchange and visitation centers, and organizations serving human trafficking victims.

Friends of Yates, a 24/7 domestic violence shelter in Kansas City, Kansas, operates between 35 and 40 beds and says it runs at capacity as much as 80 to 90 percent of the year.

Executive Director Dr. Desmond Lamb said demand is not declining.

“We’re seeing kind of an uptake in domestic violent homicide, which is unfortunate,” Lamb said. “Domestic violence is definitely on the rise.”

Lamb said the shelter provides three meals a day, transportation to medical appointments, school transportation for children, and economic and family advocacy services to residents.

“We use every penny to provide direct services and trauma-informed care to those who we serve,” Lamb said.

Lamb said the shelter has historically received funding through the attorney general’s grant programs since the programs began more than 20 years ago. He said grant dollars help cover utilities, insurance, food, and overall shelter operations.

Friends of Yates, a 24/7 domestic violence shelter in Kansas City, Kansas, operates between 35 and 40 beds and says it runs at capacity as much as 80 to 90 percent of the year.(KCTV5/Grace Smith)

“Many times resources are not as prevalent and practical in marginalized communities as they are in other, more affluent communities,” Lamb said. “So when these resources become available, it is definitely an appreciated and a needed help.”

Kristen Czugala, Division Chief of Victim Services at the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, said the funding is drawn from district court fines and fees, as well as a portion of marriage license fees, along with some state general funds.

“This funding is really vital to our local programs,” Czugala said. “These awards are used to help support the agencies that are doing the hard work in the field, supporting victims of crime, helping them feel believed and supported and to be safe in our communities.”

The attorney general’s office typically awards approximately 100 individual grants to about 50 organizations each year across the six funding streams. The six programs open for application are:

Child Exchange and Visitation Center Program (CEVC) — Provides supervised child exchange and visitation to children and families at risk due to domestic or family violence.
Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Fund (HTVAF) — Established by the Legislature in 2013, supports training for law enforcement and services for human trafficking victims and victims of commercial sexual exploitation of a child.
Child Abuse and Neglect Fund (CVAF-CA) — Supports ongoing operating expenses of programs assisting child victims.
Crime Victims Assistance Fund (CVAF) — Supports ongoing operating expenses of programs assisting crime victims and helps establish and maintain new victim services programs.
State Protection from Abuse Fund (PFA) — Provides temporary emergency shelter for adult victims of domestic violence or sexual assault and their dependent children, along with counseling and educational services.
Child Advocacy Center Fund (CAC) — Supports ongoing operating expenses of child advocacy centers.

The first step of the application process is due April 10, 2026. Applications are submitted through the Grant Management System on the attorney general’s website at ag.ks.gov/divisions/victim-services/grant-programs. Awards are expected to be announced this summer.

Lamb said Friends of Yates plans to reapply.

“We keep our fingers crossed and we pray,” Lamb said. “And most generally, we get that phone call that puts a smile on our face.”

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World Cup 2026 stadium guides: Kansas City Stadium – home of the loudest sports crowd in history

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1 day ago

March 18, 2026

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World Cup 2026 stadium guides: Kansas City Stadium – home of the loudest sports crowd in history

This article is part of our World Cup Stadium Guides series, in which we look at the 16 venues that will host matches at the 2026 tournament.

Amid the high-tech excess and luxury of modern NFL stadiums, nestled in Middle America and potentially on its last legs, Arrowhead Stadium stands tall and proud as an old-school sporting gem in Kansas City, Missouri.

It will never host a Super Bowl. It has no translucent roof, no 11,000-square-foot video board, swimming pool, or rooftop farm.

But for decades, and especially recently, it has been a fortress for the Kansas City Chiefs. Its best quality is its noise. During a Monday night game against the New England Patriots in September 2014, it housed the loudest outdoor sports crowd (142.2 decibels) in recorded history. It has become a stadium that makes opponents cower in fear.

In other words, among the 11 venues for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Arrowhead is the closest you will come to a European or South American soccer cathedral. Just don’t ask about the public transport.

What’s it known as normally?

Colloquially, it’s Arrowhead Stadium.

Officially, it’s been “GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium” since 2021, when the Government Employees Health Association bought its naming rights. But everyone calls it “Arrowhead”.

Arrowhead was the name chosen long ago by Chiefs franchise founder Lamar Hunt, seemingly as a nod to the team’s Native American-inspired nickname and imagery, which has become controversial over the past two decades.

What will it be called for the World Cup?

Kansas City Stadium. Boring.

When was the stadium opened, how much did it cost, and who plays there normally?

Built in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Arrowhead is the oldest of the United States’ 11 venues for this World Cup. The NFL’s Chiefs have played there and operated the stadium since it opened in 1972.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce emerges at Arrowhead in December last year (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Back then, it cost $43million to build — or about $370m (£277m) in 2026 dollars. A renovation in the late 2000s cost more, but this is still among the cheaper NFL stadiums.

It also hosts the occasional college football game and housed the Kansas City Wizards (the Major League Soccer club now called Sporting Kansas City) until 2007. But nowadays it rarely hosts soccer — unless a Copa América or Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami come to town. This World Cup will be by far the grandest event in the stadium’s history.

What are the most famous moments that have happened there?

It’s not a single moment, but from 2019 to 2023, Arrowhead became the first stadium to host five consecutive NFL conference championship games (effectively the semi-finals to decide which teams contest the Super Bowl). Two years later, it became the first to stage six of them in seven years.

The Chiefs won four of those six, en route to three Super Bowl titles. That, more than anything else, will be Arrowhead’s legacy.

How many fans can the stadium hold? And will it be at full capacity for the World Cup?

Although capacity is sometimes listed as more than 76,000, the Chiefs say it holds closer to 73,000 for their games. It used to seat more than 80,000, with a record crowd of 82,094 fans cramming in one day in November 1972, during its first season — but that was before various renovations.

For the World Cup, like all NFL stadiums being used for the tournament, its capacity will be lower — FIFA currently lists it as holding 67,513. A few thousand seats are being taken out to widen the field area, as soccer pitches are broader than NFL ones; others will be eaten up by broadcast and other media allocations.

The stadium’s capacity is listed as over 76,000, but it will be around 67,500 for the World Cup (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

What kind of pitch does it have? Has it had to change for the World Cup? If so, what have they done?

Natural Bermuda grass. But, like all NFL stadiums hosting World Cup games, a specialized “hybrid” natural grass will be installed for FIFA matches, which is slightly different from the surface it maintains for NFL games.

What are normal temperatures there in June/July and will fans be sheltered at its games?

Kansas City’s summers get hot. More often than not over the past 10 years, on the dates of Arrowhead’s six World Cup matches this June and July, temperatures have topped 90F (32C), according to Weather Underground data compiled by The Athletic.

And no, there is no roof. There is no shade at all, really, neither in nor around the stadium. That’s why FIFA has scheduled all of Kansas City’s games to kick off after 6pm local time.

Are they changing anything else for the World Cup?

Over the past two NFL offseasons, Arrowhead underwent significant construction to prepare for the tournament.

In 2024, workers knocked out concrete to build a new utility room underneath the stadium’s lower bowl of seating — this will serve a “SubAir” system that will help aerate the pitch, just like at other World Cup stadiums.

Then, in 2025, they cut away more concrete underneath about 10 rows of seats along the field’s north sideline. More than 3,000 seats were taken out and placed on dismountable bleachers. Those were then reinstalled for the most recent NFL season, but will be removed for the World Cup to accommodate a wider soccer field — plus the surrounding space that FIFA and its broadcast partners require for cameras and other operations or activations.

As a result, the World Cup pitch will be slightly off-center, at least compared to the NFL one at Arrowhead. No seats were taken out on the south sideline because there is a tunnel underneath those stands, and a stairway up the field that could not be removed. As a result, the World Cup pitch will be slightly off-center, at least compared to the NFL field at Arrowhead. It will not affect matches, but it might look slightly odd from above.

How do I get there?

It’s complicated.

Beyond one standard bus route — the 47 Broadway line — no public transportation serves the stadium. There are around 20,000 parking spaces surrounding it, as many Chiefs fans typically drive to their games. But only around 4,000 of those will be available to supporters throughout the World Cup, according to Lindsey Douglas, the chief operating officer of Kansas City’s World Cup host committee. The rest will be inside security perimeters or blocked off for other purposes.

So, Kansas City has rented hundreds of buses ahead of the tournament, and will provide a “park-and-ride” service, with shuttles running to Arrowhead from five locations in the region — including the city’s downtown World Cup ‘Fan Fest’ location on the National WWI Museum and Memorial’s south lawn.

If you don’t have a car and can’t get to one of those shuttles, your best bet is a rideshare app such as Lyft or Uber.

What can fans expect at the stadium?

Typically, they’d see tailgating — when U.S. fans park up outside a stadium and share food and drink with each other well in advance of the day’s game. But with most of Arrowhead’s parking lots being closed off during the World Cup, it’s unclear how much of that will be possible or permitted.

Tailgating Chiefs fans before an NFL game at Arrowhead in 2018 (David Eulitt/Getty Images)

As for inside the stadium, there are multiple barbecue and burger joints scattered around the concourses. It’s unclear if FIFA will stick with this local fare or bring in its own food and beverage vendors.

Is there anything else we should know about this stadium?

The Chiefs recently announced they plan to move out of Arrowhead, to a new domed stadium across the nearby state border on neighbouring Kansas’ side of the Kansas City metropolitan area, in 2031.

That has left local government officials in its home of Jackson County, Missouri, sorting through potential plans for the site from 2031 onwards.

Which games are being played there?

June 16: Group J — Argentina vs Algeria; 8pm local time, 2am BST
June 20: Group E — Ecuador vs Curacao; 7pm local time, 1am BST
June 25: Group F — Tunisia vs Netherlands; 6pm local time, 12am BST
June 27: Group J — Algeria vs Austria; 9pm local time, 3am BST
July 3: Round of 32 (Match 87); 8.30pm local time, 2.30am BST
July 11: Quarterfinal (Match 100; 8pm local time, 2am BST

The Stadium Guides series is part of a partnership with StubHub.

The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

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