Originally published on April 15, 2021 11:40 am
WICHITA, Kansas —Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is signaling she’ll likely reject a bill that’s part of a culture war flashpoint — an effort in Kansas and other states to bar transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports.
Kelly makes a practice of not explicitly threatening vetos, but critical comments this week hint that she’s likely to strike the legislation down with her veto pen.
“We know that a bill like the trans athlete bill is a job killer,” Kelly said this week at an event in Wichita. Businesses and sports organizations have been increasingly willing to pull out of states that they see as hostile to gay and transgender rights.