On Monday, Teresa Watson, a judge in Kansas District, declared that the state can refuse transgender individuals the right to modify their gender designation on their driver’s licenses.
Watson’s decision reinforced her previous ruling in July 2023. Watson's ruling in July 2023 spurred from a lawsuit brought by Attorney General Kris Kobach (R-KS) against Gov. Laura Kelly’s (D-KS) administration, regarding transgender individuals' ability to update their gender identity on licenses. This lawsuit was a response to a bill known as the Kansas Women’s Bill of Rights which was passed despite a veto from Kelly. Kobach used this bill to sue the Kelly administration for allowing transgender individuals to change their driver’s licenses.
The lawsuit followed the passing of a bill that removed the legal recognition of transgender people and focused on sex assigned at birth instead. SB 180The Kansas Women’s Bill of Rights is also known as the Kansas Women’s Bill of Rights. This bill was used by Kobach as the basis for his lawsuit against the Kelly administration for allowing transgender residents to update their driver’s licenses, despite the bill's passing through a veto from Kelly.The Women's Bill of Rights is a type of bill that was drafted by the Independent Women's Forum, the Independent Women's Law Center, and the Women's Liberation Front (WoLF) to remove the legal recognition of transgender people and focus on sex assigned at birth instead.
The Women’s Bill of Rights is a type of legislation introduced in state legislatures across the nation, aiming to remove the legal recognition of transgender people and focus on sex assigned at birth instead. comes from The Women’s Bill of Rights is a model bill drafted by the Independent Women’s Forum, the Independent Women’s Law Center, and the Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) to remove the legal recognition of transgender people from the state, and instead focus on sex assigned at birth as the trait to legally recognize.
The ACLU argued that the state constitution protected the right to change legal identification, citing a precedent defending abortion rights through an argument for bodily autonomy, as well as citing the increased risk of harassment and discrimination that transgender individuals will face. 2019 ruling The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) argued that the state constitution protected the right to change legal identification, citing a precedent defending abortion rights through an argument for bodily autonomy, as well as citing the increased risk of harassment and discrimination that transgender individuals will face.
However, Watson disagreed with that argument, stating that applying the 2019 ruling in Hodes & Nauser v. Derek Schmidt would be an unreasonable stretch. However, Watson disagreed with that argument, stating that applying the 2019 ruling in Hodes & Nauser v. Derek Schmidt would be an unreasonable stretch.However, Watson disagreed with that argument, stating that applying the 2019 ruling in Hodes & Nauser v. Derek Schmidt would be an unreasonable stretch. decisionHowever, Watson disagreed with that argument, stating that applying the 2019 ruling in Hodes & Nauser v. Derek Schmidt would be an unreasonable stretch.
“Hodes However, Watson disagreed with that argument, stating that the 2019 ruling in Hodes & Nauser v. Derek Schmidt affirmed Kansans' right to control their own bodies, but did not state Kansans have a fundamental state constitutional right to control the information displayed on a state-issued driver’s license.
Kris Kobach stated that the decision was a victory for the rule of law and common sense.
Kris Kobach stated that the decision was a victory for the rule of law and common sense.
This ruling occurs in the midst of a series of Republican-led attacks on transgender rights, both nationally and in Kansas. This ruling comes as part of a wave of Republican-led challenges to transgender rights, both at the national level and within Kansas. This ruling comes as part of a wave of Republican-led challenges to transgender rights, both at the national level and within Kansas. pushing Republican lawmakers in the state are currently pushing for a ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
D.C. Hiegert, a transgender ACLU attorney, expressed the organization's commitment to creating a state that allows everyone to live in peace, free from government persecution and impositions on their core identities.
It is uncertain whether the ACLU or Kelly’s office intends to appeal Watson’s ruling.
Hiegert further stated that they do not believe the imagined harm to the state could ever outweigh the significant harm their clients and other transgender individuals in Kansas have faced and will continue to face by having to carry inaccurate identification documents, which violates their rights under the state constitution.
