Transgender residents in the US State of Kansas say they woke up to find their driving licences and identification documents had effectively become invalid overnight, following the enforcement of new state legislation.
On 23 February, the Kansas Department of Revenue’s Division of Vehicles sent letters to individuals whose licences or ID cards had previously been amended to reflect their gender identity. The department informed recipients that those changes had been revoked.
The action followed the publication of new legislation on 26 February requiring Kansas-issued driver’s licences and identification cards to reflect the credential holder’s sex assigned at birth.
Officials warned that “your current Kansas credential will no longer be valid,” noting that lawmakers did not include a grace period for affected individuals to update their documents.
“This means that … your current credential will be invalid immediately, and you may be subject to additional penalties if you are operating a vehicle without a valid credential.”
Recipients were instructed to visit the Division of Vehicles immediately to obtain new identification reflecting their sex assigned at birth. It is believed that around 1,000 people have been affected.
Law Passed Despite Governor’s Veto
The legislation was pushed through by Republican lawmakers in the Kansas Legislature despite a veto from Governor Laura Kelly.
In addition to mandating changes to identity documents, the law restricts transgender people’s access to bathrooms and locker rooms in public buildings. It also allows individuals to file lawsuits if they believe they have shared a bathroom with a transgender person, with statutory damages of at least $1,000.
‘Government-Sanctioned Harassment’
Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, criticised the move.
“Instead of meeting the needs of their constituents, Kansas lawmakers have prioritised cruelty,” she said.
“Forcing people into the wrong bathrooms, stripping them of accurate IDs, and allowing government-sanctioned harassment doesn’t make anyone safer — it targets transgender Kansans for no reason and will undoubtedly impact many others who are targeted with animus, whether or not they are transgender.”
Anthony Alvarez of Loud Light Civic Action said he was personally impacted by the change.
“As a trans Kansan, this law has deputised the people of our state to turn against one another and given them a financial incentive to do so,” he said. “Every aspect of my public life will be subject to policing — from when I show my ID to vote or go to the bank to when I want to visit my friends in their dorm room or when I wash my hands before I eat.”
Part of a Broader Trend
Kansas joins a growing number of US states introducing laws affecting transgender residents’ access to identification documents, public facilities and legal recognition.
More than 20 states now restrict transgender people’s access to certain bathrooms and facilities. At the federal level, current US government policy recognises only two sexes — male and female — as registered at birth.
Advocacy groups say the Kansas law is likely to face legal challenges in the coming months.
