Kansas Republicans have overridden Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of Senate Bill 244, enacting a requirement that individuals use restrooms in government buildings according to their biological sex rather than gender identity. The measure cleared the Kansas Senate in a 31–9 vote and passed the Kansas House of Representatives 87–37 during the state’s 2026 legislative session.
The statute applies to public facilities statewide, including schools and universities. Violations can carry a $1,000 fine, with potential criminal penalties for repeat offenses. Exceptions allow parents or guardians to accompany children under nine into opposite-sex restrooms and permit coaches to enter locker rooms as long as occupants remain clothed.
Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson hailed the override as having “restored sanity,” criticizing Kelly’s veto, which he said “would have forced our mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters to share their bathrooms with biological men in government buildings.” He added, “Kansas Democrats are for They/Them. I will continue to fight for you, and protect women and girls across our state.”
Governor Kelly argued in her veto message that the bill was “poorly drafted” and warned of “numerous and significant consequences,” including potential 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 those claims as “red herrings.”
Kansas Republicans have previously overridden Kelly’s vetoes, including a 2025 law restricting certain gender-transition medications for minors that remains under court review.
