Controversial transgender athlete bill becomes law

FILE – A proposed ban on transgender athletes playing female school sports in Utah would affect transgender girls like this 12-year-old swimmer seen at…

FILE – A proposed ban on transgender athletes playing female school sports in Utah would affect transgender girls like this 12-year-old swimmer seen at a pool in Utah on Feb. 22, 2021. She and her family spoke with The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to avoid outing her publicly. She cried when she heard about the proposal that would ban transgender girls from competing on girls’ sports teams in public high schools, which would separate her from her friends. Republican governors of two states this week vetoed the legislation to ban transgender players from girls’ sports, but their decisions to buck the party’s conservative wing could prove short-lived against a fired-up GOP base. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

by: Michael Dakota, Rebekah Chung

Posted: Apr 28, 2022 / 01:19 PM CDT

Updated: Apr 29, 2022 / 07:42 AM CDT

TOPEKA (KSNT) – A controversial bill that would ban transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports in Kansas has died on the House of Representatives floor after lawmakers couldn’t get the two-thirds majority to override the Governor’s veto.

Representatives voted 81-41.

On Tuesday, the Kansas Senate voted 28-10 to override the Governor’s veto and send the bill to the House.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly vetoed the ban on transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports.

The bill would have required the state’s high school activities association (KSHSAA) and the Board of Regents to be in charge of how the rules are enforced in schools.