Kansas governor calls bill on trans athletes ‘regressive’

(AP) Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is deriding a proposed Kansas ban on transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s school sports as “regressive” as conservative Republicans prepare to advance it in the GOP-controlled Legislature. Kelly predicted Wednesday ahead of a state Senate debate on a bill that would enact such a ban that the policy would make it more difficult to recruit businesses to the state. But supporters dismissed her criticism, and the measure was a priority for top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Senate. Republicans in Congress and more than 20 state legislatures are pushing for similar bans. Supporters argue it would preserve fairness in women’s and girls’ sports.