Governor Kelly vetoes House Bill 2238

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has vetoed House Bill 2238.

Bill Title: Creating the fairness in women’s sports act to require that female student athletic teams only include members who are biologically female.

The following veto message is from Governor Laura Kelly regarding her veto of House Bill 2238:

“As I’ve said before, we all want a fair and safe place for our kids to play and compete.

“That’s why I support the Kansas State High School Activities Association, which was set up to ensure nobody has an unfair advantage on the playing field. The Legislature should let the Association do its job.

“Let’s be clear about what this bill is all about – politics. It won’t increase any test scores. It won’t help any kids read or write. It won’t help any teachers prepare our kids for the real world. Here’s what this bill would actually do: harm the mental health of our students. That’s exactly why Republican governors have joined me in vetoing similar bills.

“This bill would also reverse the progress we’ve made in recruiting businesses and creating jobs. It would send a signal to prospective companies that Kansas is more focused on unnecessary and divisive legislation than becoming a place where young people want to work and raise a family.

“Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto House Bill 2238.”

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