Shock in Kansas: 1,700 Trans Drivers Lose Licenses Under New Law
Kansas’s new law voids about 1,700 transgender drivers’ licenses, mandating birth-assigned gender on IDs, sparking backlash amid swift GOP enforcement and ongoing state anti-trans measures.
Transgender drivers in Kansas saw their licenses revoked with a new state law that took effect on Thursday, requiring residents to change their gender designation to the sex assigned at birth.
A notice from the state’s Department of Revenue was mailed to approximately 1,700 drivers after a Republican majority in the House voted to ban the listing of any gender different from the one assigned at birth on official documents.
“Please note that the House did not include a grace period for updating certificates,” the state agency wrote, according to the Kansas City Star.
“This means that once the law officially goes into effect, your current certificates will be immediately invalid, and you may face further penalties if you operate a vehicle without a valid certificate.”
Although Governor Laura Kelly, a Democrat, vetoed the bill, Republican lawmakers easily overrode her objection last week.
“Everything is happening so fast, and it breaks my heart for anyone this directly affects,” LGBTQ activist Jae Moyer told the Star.
“This bill that Republicans pushed through the House so quickly does nothing but create a problem that doesn’t exist,” added a member of the Johnson County Alliance for Equality, Justice, and Inclusion.
However, Republican Chase Blaisi, the state Senate majority leader, said that former President Trump’s 2024 victory proves that voters want “to return to common sense.”
“When I come home, people believe there are only two genders, male and female,” Blasi said.
“It’s basic biology I learned in high school.”
The state Department of Revenue noted in its letter that once transgender drivers turn in their current certificates, authorities will issue new cards “in accordance with legislative requirements,” according to the Kansas City Star.
The newly enacted law is one of many measures Republicans in Kansas have taken in recent years concerning transgender individuals.
Other measures include restrictions on the bathrooms, locker rooms, and single-sex facilities that transgender people can use.
With news material from Post agencies
