The Kansas legislature secured bipartisan support Thursday to overrule the governor’s veto of a law that prevents men from entering women’s restrooms, locker rooms and other single-sex spaces by defining the term “sex” as biological sex at birth.
The House passed the “Women’s Bill of Rights,” or Senate Bill 180, in a 84-40 vote on Thursday after Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the bill last week. On Wednesday, the Senate also passed a motion to override the veto in a 28-12 vote.
Republican state House Speaker Dan Hawkins said in a statement that the vote shows House Republicans “stand with women and girls in Kansas and their right to privacy, safety, and dignity in single-sex spaces.”
“The activists who seek to change the definition of a woman ignore the biological differences that exist between the sexes and recklessly expose females to specific forms of violence, including sexual violence, therefore compromising the safety of female-only spaces such as restrooms, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, and prisons,” Hawkins said. “House Republicans believe women and girls in Kansas deserve privacy, safety, and dignity in single-sex spaces and are dedicated to ensuring the current laws that have historically protected these rights can continue to do so.”
Kansas House Votes to Override Governor’s Veto of Women’s Bill of Rights
Topeka, KS — House Speaker Dan Hawkins, Majority Leader Chris Croft, and Speaker Pro Tem Blake Carpenter issued the following statement:
“By overriding the Governor’s veto of the Women’s Bill of Rights, pic.twitter.com/pk1acdKNHY
— Dan Hawkins (@DanHawkinsKS) April 27, 2023
The bill defines the term “female” as “an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to produce ova” and “male” as “an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to fertilize the ova of a female.”
It defines the terms woman and girl as “human females,” while man and boy are defined as “human males.” The bill also specifies that the term “equal” does not mean “identical.”
Riley Gaines, Independent Women Forum spokeswoman and twelve time All-American swimmer, called the bill a “huge win for Kansas women.”
“I applaud the Legislature for their leadership and commitment to protecting the sex-based rights of women,” Gaines said in a statement. “As a woman and a female athlete, I can attest first hand to the importance of women having private spaces when safety and fairness are at risk. Now that the Women’s Bill of Rights will be Kansas law, women have clarity that when they enter a space labeled for ‘women’, biological men will not be inside.”
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a law banning males from using women’s restrooms in schools late March, becoming the fourth state to pass similar legislation.
All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
- Trump defense attorney says Bragg’s charges are really just 34 ‘pieces of paper’ - April 22, 2024
- Prosecutor paints Trump Manhattan case as ‘election conspiracy’ during opening statement - April 22, 2024
- Biden admin trampled states’ rights to signal ‘extreme’ abortion views, Idaho AG says before major SCOTUS case - April 21, 2024
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!
