Kansas Senate Bill No. 233 proposes a ban on gender affirming care for anyone under the age of 18. Should the law pass, minors in Kansas would no longer have access to things like puberty blockers, gender-affirming surgery, or hormone treatment.
Republicans in the House and Senate are in strong favor of the bill, and say the treatments are dangerous, or minors may regret them later. However, studies found that nearly zero patients who underwent the treatments later reported regret, while delaying that care can cause physical and mental health problems.
Blaise Mesa, Kansas Statehouse reporter at The Beacon, spoke with Up To Date host Steve Kraske about the bill, how it’s part of a larger national trend, and the likelihood of it becoming law.
Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.
