TOPEKA – (April 5, 2023) – Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach issued the following statement today of the Kansas House and Senate successfully overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act. The House voted in a bipartisan manner 84-39 to override, while the Senate voted 28-12.

“I applaud the legislature for overriding the governor’s veto and protecting girls’ sports. As the father of five daughters who are involved in sports, I care deeply about the fairness in girls’ sports,” Kobach said. “If any group challenges this law in court, I will defend it vigorously. And I am confident that the law will survive any challenge.”  

The bill requires all interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural, and club athletic teams that are sponsored by public elementary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions that compete against teams from other public educational institutions to be based on the biological sex of the team members. The bill states athletic teams or sports designated for females, women, or girls shall not be open to students of the male sex.