Gender marker changes described as an ’emergency’ by Attorney General Kris Kobach

TOPEKA (KSNT) — After an exclusive interview with KSNT 27, we’re hearing more from Attorney General Kris Kobach about his push to call for a special session here in Kansas.

Over the past few weeks, discussions about a special session in Kansas have been heating up, as lawmakers are hoping to change the state’s congressional map. Now, we’re learning that Kris Kobach wants to tack on an issue that he is calling an “emergency”, gender markers.

After a Kansas court agreed to let transgender Kansans change the gender marker on their driver’s licenses, Kobach is urging lawmakers to take action now to stop this from taking effect.

Kobach wants the legislature to change the language in SB 180 to specify that the gender marker on Kansans’ licenses must match their biological sex.

Additionally, he believes this needs to happen now, before the court order takes effect. Kobach tells us, waiting until the regular session starts in January would create a big mess for state DMVs.

“You’ll have drivers licenses that were improperly issued that may have to be recalled. It just causes more confusion,” said Kobach.

Democrats argue, the gender marker change will cause less confusion for law enforcement, because the gender on Kansans’ IDs will match the gender they present as.

Kobach disagrees and says the new gender markers would actually cause more confusion.

“It’s not a canvas for somebody to paint whatever reality they want to paint on it. It’s a state document. The state said very clearly in 2023, we want biological sex on the driver’s licenses, and as Attorney General, it’s my job to ensure that the law is enforced as it was intended.”

House Speaker Daniel Hawkins is in support of Kobach’s efforts. He is rallying Kansas lawmakers in an effort to sign a petition for a special session.

Currently, lawmakers are aiming for a special session sometime this fall. Our Capitol Bureau reached out to a spokeswoman for Senate President Ty Masterson’s office, who tells us a petition could begin circulating in mid-October.

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