1 of 2 | The Republican-led Kentucky legislature passed one of the most restrictive transgender bills in the country Wednesday, overturning a veto by Gov. Andy Beshear. Senate Bill 150 -- passed into law in Kentucky Wednesday -- bans gender-affirming care for youth, restricts bathroom use to that which aligns with a student’s sex on their birth certificate, prohibits school employees from using preferred pronouns for students, bars conversations about LGBTQ issues from schools, and more. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI |
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March 29 (UPI) -- The Republican-led Kentucky Legislature passed one of the most restrictive youth-transgender bills in the country Wednesday, overturning a veto by Gov. Andy Beshear.
The overwhelmingly Republican state Senate passed the bill 29-8, sending it immediately to the House, where Republicans also hold the majority, according to the Lexington Herald Leader. As the focus moved to the House chambers, so did protesters who temporarily slowed the process. Nineteen were arrested.
"KSP gave each individual the option to leave without any enforcement action or be placed under arrest. KSP arrested 19 individuals, Kentucky State Police Capt. Paul Blanton said in a statement to WAVE. "They have been cited for criminal trespassing 3rd degree. The Franklin County District Court authorized that the individuals could be released on their own recognizance."
The bill passed in the House 76-23, according to WAVE.
The GOP-supported law bans gender-affirming care for youth, restricts bathroom use to that which aligns with a student's sex on their birth certificate, prohibits school employees from using preferred pronouns for students, bars conversations about LGBTQ issues from schools, and more. It also orders physicians to "detransition" youth patients if they are taking part in any gender-affirming treatment options that have been banned.
The gender-affirming care portion of the law will go into effect in June.
Democratic Sen. Karen Berg said a lawsuit to block the law could be coming as soon as Wednesday night, the Courier Journal reports.
"SB 150 was rushed through the legislature in a deliberately secretive process at the 11th hour," the Kentucky ACLU said in a statement. "To all the trans youth who may be affected by this legislation: We stand by you, and we will not stop fighting. You are cherished. You are loved. You belong."
