Kansas Senate advances bill that'd ban gender-affirming care for minors

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – The Kansas Senate on Wednesday advanced a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors. After passing the Senate, 32-8, the bill moves to the Kansas House. The “Help Not Harm Act” is similar to proposed legislation that Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed last year. Republicans came up one vote short of overriding that veto, although similar laws have been implemented across the U.S.

The Kansas House and Senate were working on parallel bills and both had hearings on Tuesday. The Republican-sponsored bills would prohibit state funding to gender-affirming care and prohibit healthcare providers from providing care to children including surgery, hormones and puberty blockers.

“Today, a supermajority of the Kansas Senate took a firm stand in support of helping and not harming children by make it clear that transgender ideology and the mutilation of minors is no longer legal in Kansas. The credit for this victory goes to the courageous men and women who have spoken out against the harm these procedures are causing our children,” said Senate President Ty Masterson in a news release from his office that followed the vote.

Ahead of the Senate vote on Tuesday, those for and against the bill had two minutes to make their cases in a Senate hearing. Mother Kristi Khan was among those who spoke against the bill. She said her transgender son died by suicide in 2022 and that the impact of such bills and conversations weigh heavily.

“We’re going to have more children dying because there is no care offered for them,” she said. “This bill is going to make it hard for them to even have the therapists talk to them about gender dysphoria.”

Bill supporters said this is about protecting children, citing concerns about the science of treatments and harm to the body.

“Hopefully this year we have the votes to override. We are one of the last red states to still allow pediatric gender transition,” said bill supporter Susan Cary on Tuesday. “We need to stop it. It’s medical maleficence.”

Masterson said the need for the Help Not Harm Act was evident during Tuesday’s hearing in the Senate Public Health Welfare Committee.

He said “conferees offered compelling testimony demonstrating the devastating, lifelong impact of these procedures.”

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