# Kansas SB 244: House Substitute for SB 244 by Committee on Judiciary - Requiring the designation of multiple-occupancy private spaces in public buildings for use by only one sex and imposing criminal and civil penalties for violations, defining the term "gender" to mean biological sex at birth for purposes of statutory construction, directing the division of vehicles to invalidate and reissue driver's licenses when necessary to correct the gender identification on such licenses and directing the office of vital statistics to invalidate and reissue birth certificates when necessary to correct the sex identification on such certificates. Kansas SB 244, House Substitute for SB 244 by Committee on Judiciary - Requiring the designation of multiple-occupancy private spaces in public buildings for use by only one sex and imposing criminal and civil penalties for violations, defining the term "gender" to mean biological sex at birth for purposes of statutory construction, directing the division of vehicles to invalidate and reissue driver's licenses when necessary to correct the gender identification on such licenses and directing the office of vital statistics to invalidate and reissue birth certificates when necessary to correct the sex identification on such certificates., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Committee on Judiciary; status became law, last action 2026-02-18 (Motion to override veto prevailed; Yea 87, Nay 37, Absent 1); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KS-SB244-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Kansas SB 244 - State: Kansas - Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session - Title: House Substitute for SB 244 by Committee on Judiciary - Requiring the designation of multiple-occupancy private spaces in public buildings for use by only one sex and imposing criminal and civil penalties for violations, defining the term "gender" to mean biological sex at birth for purposes of statutory construction, directing the division of vehicles to invalidate and reissue driver's licenses when necessary to correct the gender identification on such licenses and directing the office of vital statistics to invalidate and reissue birth certificates when necessary to correct the sex identification on such certificates. - Status: became law - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-06 - Last action: 2026-02-18, Motion to override veto prevailed; Yea 87, Nay 37, Absent 1 - Sponsor: Committee on Judiciary - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: house committee on judiciary, senate committee on judiciary - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 22 (985 yes, 1,242 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 8 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Privacy victims gain rights to sue: benefit, medium. People using shared private spaces designated for their sex can sue opposite-sex entrants who violate the law and harm them. Qualifying harm includes an invasion of personal privacy. Plaintiffs can seek actual damages or a fixed $1,000 payment, plus court orders declaring rights or stopping violati… - Sex-development diagnoses receive legal accommodation protections: benefit, medium. People born with a medically verifiable diagnosis of a disorder or difference in sex development must receive legal protections and accommodations. These are the protections and accommodations provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable Kansas laws. - Birth-sex rules invalidate some Kansas documents: cost, medium. Kansas birth certificates and driver's licenses issued before July 1, 2026, are invalid if their sex or gender markers conflict with birth sex. The state registrar must correct affected birth-certificate records. The driver's license director must correct records and notify affected people to surre… - Repeat restroom violations bring personal penalties: cost, medium. People may not enter shared private spaces in public buildings designated for the opposite birth sex, except for permitted entries. After a prior finding of a violation, a second violation carries a $1,000 civil penalty. A third or later violation is a class B misdemeanor. Exceptions include specif… - Public entities face daily restroom fines: cost, low. Government entities violating the public-building space rules face $25,000 for a first violation and $125,000 for each later violation. Each day a violation continues counts separately. Before filing a complaint, a person must give written notice describing the violation. The entity has through the… - Schools and agencies must record birth sex: cost, low. Kansas public schools, school districts, and government offices face limits when collecting vital statistics for specified purposes. They can identify each person only as male or female at birth. Covered purposes include anti-discrimination compliance and public-health, crime, economic, or other da… - Public restrooms face birth-sex access rules: mixed, medium. Kansas government entities must designate shared restrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, and showers in public buildings for one birth sex. They must take reasonable steps to prevent opposite-sex entry, adding privacy protections while restricting access. Exceptions cover specified assistance, cle… - Kansas ties legal gender to birth sex: mixed, medium. Kansas law defines sex and gender as biological sex at birth: male or female. Terms such as woman, man, mother, and father also follow biological sex. Laws treating the sexes differently must substantially support an important government goal, a test called intermediate scrutiny. The law declares s… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Committee on Judiciary ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-23 | Senate | Yea: 87 Nay: 37 | pass | 87 | 37 | | | 2026-04-23 | Senate | Yea: 42 Nay: 76 | fail | 42 | 76 | | | 2026-04-23 | Senate | Yea: 38 Nay: 77 | fail | 38 | 77 | | | 2026-04-23 | Senate | Yea: 34 Nay: 82 | fail | 34 | 82 | | | 2026-04-23 | Senate | Yea: 87 Nay: 36 | pass | 87 | 36 | | | 2026-04-23 | Senate | Yea: 30 Nay: 9 | pass | 30 | 9 | | | 2026-04-23 | Senate | Yea: 31 Nay: 9 | pass | 31 | 9 | | | 2026-04-23 | Senate | Yea: 36 Nay: 85 | fail | 36 | 85 | | | 2026-04-23 | Senate | Yea: 36 Nay: 86 | fail | 36 | 86 | | | 2026-04-23 | Senate | Yea: 36 Nay: 81 | fail | 36 | 81 | | | 2026-02-18 | House | Motion to override veto prevailed | pass | 87 | 37 | | | 2026-02-17 | Senate | Motion to override veto prevailed | pass | 31 | 9 | | | 2026-01-28 | House | Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Lindsay Vaughn was rejected | fail | 36 | 85 | | | 2026-01-28 | House | Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen was rejected | fail | 36 | 81 | | | 2026-01-28 | House | Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Susan Ruiz was rejected | fail | 42 | 76 | | | 2026-01-28 | House | Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton was rejected | fail | 34 | 82 | | | 2026-01-28 | House | Emergency Final Action - Substitute passed as amended | pass | 87 | 36 | | | 2026-01-28 | House | Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Angela Martinez was rejected | fail | 34 | 83 | | | 2026-01-28 | House | Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Nikki McDonald was rejected | fail | 36 | 86 | | | 2026-01-28 | House | Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Brooklynne Mosley was rejected | fail | 38 | 77 | | | 2026-01-28 | Senate | Concurred with amendments | pass | 30 | 9 | | | 2025-02-19 | Senate | Emergency Final Action - Passed as amended | pass | 37 | 3 | | ## Actions (52) - 2026-02-18: Motion to override veto prevailed; Yea 87, Nay 37, Absent 1 (House) - 2026-02-17: Motion to override veto prevailed; Yea 31, Nay 9 (Senate) - 2026-02-16: Vetoed by Governor; Returned to Senate on Friday, February 13, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Enrolled and presented to Governor on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted recommending substitute bill be passed (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to rerefer to committee failed (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Bob Lewis (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Bob Lewis was adopted (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Angela Martinez (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Angela Martinez was rejected; Yea 34, Nay 83, Absent 8 (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Lindsay Vaughn (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Lindsay Vaughn was rejected; Yea 36, Nay 85, Absent 4 (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Nikki McDonald (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Nikki McDonald was rejected; Yea 36, Nay 86, Absent 3 (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen was rejected; Yea 36, Nay 81, Absent 8 (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Bob Lewis (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Bob Lewis was adopted (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Susan Ruiz (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Susan Ruiz was rejected; Yea 42, Nay 76, Absent 7 (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Susan Ruiz (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Susan Ruiz was rejected (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Susan Ruiz (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Susan Ruiz was rejected (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Suzanne Wikle (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Suzanne Wikle was withdrawn (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Brooklynne Mosley (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Brooklynne Mosley was rejected; Yea 38, Nay 77, Absent 10 (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton was rejected; Yea 34, Nay 82, Absent 9 (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Alexis Simmons (House) - 2026-01-28: Rep. Susan Humphries raised a question of germaneness. The amendment was ruled not germane (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Nikki McDonald (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Rep. Nikki McDonald was rejected (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Rep. Brandon Woodard (House) - 2026-01-28: Rep. Susan Humphries raised a question of germaneness. The amendment was ruled not germane (House) - 2026-01-28: Committee of the Whole - Substitute bill be passed as amended (House) - 2026-01-28: Motion to advance to Emergency Final Action adopted (House) - 2026-01-28: Emergency Final Action - Substitute passed as amended; Yea 87, Nay 36, Absent 2 (House) - 2026-01-28: Concurred with amendments; Yea 30, Nay 9, Absent 1 (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Committee Report recommending substitute bill be passed by House Committee on Judiciary (House) - 2025-03-05: Hearing: Wednesday, March 5, 2025, 3:30 PM — Room 582-N (House) - 2025-02-25: Received and Introduced (House) - 2025-02-25: Referred to House Committee on Judiciary (House) - 2025-02-19: Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Sen. Kellie Warren (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Sen. Kellie Warren was adopted (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Committee of the Whole - Be passed as amended (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Emergency Final Action - Passed as amended; Yea 37, Nay 3 (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Committee Report recommending bill be passed by Senate Committee on Judiciary (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Hearing: Thursday, February 13, 2025, 10:30 AM — Room 346-S (Senate) - 2025-02-07: Referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary (Senate) - 2025-02-06: Introduced (Senate) ## Bill text - As Introduced: [PDF](https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/bills/download/?apn=b2025_26/year2/ready_for_publication/sb_244/sb244_00_0000.pdf) - Enrolled: [PDF](https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/bills/download/?apn=b2025_26/year2/ready_for_publication/sb_244/sb244_enrolled.pdf) - H Sub for: [PDF](https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/bills/download/?apn=b2025_26/year2/ready_for_publication/sb_244/sb244_02_0000.pdf) - {As Amended by House Committee of the Whole}: [PDF](https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/bills/download/?apn=b2025_26/year2/ready_for_publication/sb_244/sb244_03_0000.pdf) - {As Amended by Senate Committee of the Whole}: [PDF](https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/bills/download/?apn=b2025_26/year2/ready_for_publication/sb_244/sb244_01_0000.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 430: Adding mitragynine to schedule I of the uniform controlled substances act and reconciling multiple amendments to certain statutes in the Kansas criminal code. (signed) - SB 82: Providing tax credits for expenditures for lockable gun and ammunition storage and the retail sale of higher ethanol blends of fuel, discontinuing the tax cred… (signed) - SB 300: Providing for the apportionment of business income by manufacturers of alcoholic liquor depending on whether the taxpayer is a qualifying Kansas investor or a… (signed) - HB 2029: Reconciling multiple amendments to certain statutes. (signed) - HB 2018: Senate Substitute for HB 2018 by Committee on Federal and State Affairs - Creating the crime of interference with the conduct of a religious assembly, providin… (became law) - HB 2036: Providing a Kansas income tax subtraction modification for certain amounts received as compensation for members of the armed forces. (failed) ## Sources - [As Introduced (PDF)](https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/bills/download/?apn=b2025_26/year2/ready_for_publication/sb_244/sb244_00_0000.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/bills/download/?apn=b2025_26/year2/ready_for_publication/sb_244/sb244_enrolled.pdf) - [H Sub for (PDF)](https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/bills/download/?apn=b2025_26/year2/ready_for_publication/sb_244/sb244_02_0000.pdf) - [{As Amended by House Committee of the Whole} (PDF)](https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/bills/download/?apn=b2025_26/year2/ready_for_publication/sb_244/sb244_03_0000.pdf) - [{As Amended by Senate Committee of the Whole} (PDF)](https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/bills/download/?apn=b2025_26/year2/ready_for_publication/sb_244/sb244_01_0000.pdf) ## Related - [SB 430: Adding mitragynine to schedule I of the uniform controlled substances act and r…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KS-SB430-2025-2026) - [SB 82: Providing tax credits for expenditures for lockable gun and ammunition storage…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KS-SB82-2025-2026) - [SB 300: Providing for the apportionment of business income by manufacturers of alcoholi…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KS-SB300-2025-2026) - [HB 2029: Reconciling multiple amendments to certain statutes.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KS-HB2029-2025-2026) - [HB 2018: Senate Substitute for HB 2018 by Committee on Federal and State Affairs - Creat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KS-HB2018-2025-2026) - [HB 2036: Providing a Kansas income tax subtraction modification for certain amounts rece…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KS-HB2036-2025-2026) - [Kansas bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/kansas/bills) - [Kansas state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/kansas) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KS-SB244-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).