Kansas is close to banning gender-affirming care for minors as GOP leaders seek the last vote

By JOHN HANNA
Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators are close to banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors in Kansas over the Democratic governor’s expected veto. Supporters were confident Thursday that the Republican-controlled Senate would approve a bill that would bar health care providers from treating a child’s gender dysphoria with puberty blockers, hormone treatments and surgery. But GOP leaders wanted to send the bill to Gov. Laura Kelly with the two-thirds majority that would be necessary to override her veto later, so they cancelled a vote on the bill in hopes of rewriting some language to get the last vote. The GOP-controlled House approved the measure Wednesday and it appears to have a two-thirds majority there.