Kansas Senate Bill 63
Kansas Senate Bill 63 , also known as the Help Not Harm Act, is a 2025 law in the state of Kansas that bans gender-affirming care for transgender people under 18, allows disciplinary actions against medical providers who do give such care and requires transgender Kansans under 18 to medically detransition by December 31, 2025.
The bill passed in January and was subsequently vetoed by Democratic governor Laura Kelly. Her veto was overridden on February 18, 2025, and became law on February 20. A lawsuit is pending by the ACLU of Kansas.
Provisions
S.B. 63 bans gender-affirming care for minors in Kansas. It allows those who have received or would receive said care to sue healthcare professionals for providing such care. It blocks the state from using taxpayer money to pay for gender-affirming care. Minors already receiving gender-affirming care are required to withdraw from said care by December 31, 2025, generally affecting hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It also restricts state employees, like social workers, from acknowledging or supporting the transition of a minor, medical or not. The law fully took effect on July 1, 2025.
Reactions
Support
The Alliance Defending Freedom opposed governor Laura Kelly's February 11 veto, stating that S.B. 63 it protected kids from "gender ideology" and that gender-affirming medical treatments harmed children. State Republicans nearly unanimously supported S.B. 63. A statement was released by Republican Senate President Ty Masterson and Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins in opposition to Kelly's veto. Attorney General Kris Kobach endorsed S.B. 63 and promised to fight the ACLU's lawsuit against it. The Christian Post released an article following Kelly's veto favoring pro-S.B. 63 stances.
Opposition
S.B. 63 was opposed by the ACLU of Kansas and the national ACLU. Some local providers and medical groups, such as Interpersonal Psychiatry and Kansas Interfaith Action, released statements in opposition to S.B. 63.
Laura Kelly, the governor of Kansas, vetoed S.B. 63 on February 11, 2025. In her response, she explained that the bill did not help Kansans with their present issues and that the bill infringed on the rights of parents to decide what is right for their children.