Laura Kelly on Civil Rights

	Laura Kelly on Civil Rights

Let local school boards decide on transgender women's sports

Attorney General Derek Schmidt argued an ad from the governor amounted to her misrepresenting her position on the issue of transgender athletes in women's sports. He continued to zero in on the governor's position, saying the two "fundamentally disagreed" on the issue. "I've been very clear on my position on this issue," Schmidt said. "I think it is a matter of fundamental fairness and I do not think that it is a matter of law or policy that people who are biologically male should be competing in women's sports."

Kelly has maintained it was consistent with her twice vetoing bills on the issue, saying the matter should be left up to local school boards, the Kansas State High School Activities Association and the NCAA. She again called Schmidt's contention that her actions allowed men to compete in women's sports to be "absurd." Kelly said there was also a risk to the state's economy from boycotting businesses if such a measure were passed.

Source: Topeka Capital-Journal on 2022 Kansas Gubernatorial race , Oct 5, 2022

Reinstate Equal Protection for LGBTQ+ state workers

One of Laura Kelly's first acts as governor will be to reinstate the Equal Protection Clause, which was put in place by Governor Kathleen Sebelius, to protect LGBTQ+ civil servants from discrimination. These protections were eliminated by Sam Brownback. Reinstating this protection is essential to make sure all state workers receive fair and equal treatment. Source: 2018 Gubernatorial campaign website LauraKellyForKansas.com , Aug 14, 2018

College groups "religious freedom" means LGBT discrimination

Legislative Summary: SB 175 enacts law prohibiting a postsecondary educational institution from taking any action that would deny a religious student association any benefit available to any other association due to the association's requirement that leaders or members of the association adhere to or comply with the association's sincerely held religious beliefs.

Analysis by Washington Blade: Consistent with his record in opposition to LGBT rights, Gov. Sam Brownback signed into law a "religious freedom" bill seen to enable discrimination against LGBT students in his state's public universities. Brownback didn't sign the bill quietly: The governor signed the measure during a ceremony surrounded by lawmakers and lobbyists for the Kansas Catholic Conference and the Family Policy Alliance of Kansas.

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 30-8-2 on Mar/19/15; State Sen. Laura Kelly voted NO; Passed House 81-41-3 on Mar/16/16; Signed on Mar/22/16

Source: Washington Blade analysis of Kansas voting records SB175 , May 19, 2015

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*Other governors on Civil Rights:*			*Laura Kelly on other issues:*
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