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Kentucky's GOP-dominated legislature overrides veto; trans youth bill becomes law

Kentucky's GOP-dominated legislature overrides veto; trans youth bill becomes law
HOW IT ALL UNFOLDED. BOTH SIDES CAME HERE TO FRANKFORT KNOWING THAT STATE LAWMAKERS WERE GOING TO VOTE ON THIS VETO OVERRIDE, AND BOTH SIDES WERE VERY PASSIONATE IN MAKING THEIR CASES. HARRY SAID THEY SHOULD BE PROTESTERS DISRUPTED THE HOUSE PROCEEDINGS AS LAWMAKERS VOTED TO OVERRIDE THE VETO OF SENATE BILL 150 WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. MANY WERE LED OUT OF THE CHAMBERS IN HANDCUFFS OR ZIP TIES. THAT’S RIGHT. RIGHT. THE PROTESTS STARTED EARLIER IN THE DAY AS HUNDREDS GATHERED ON THE LAWN OUTSIDE THE CAPITOL TO PROTEST SB 150, WHICH THEY SAY IS ANTI LGBTQ. AND YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE HERE FIGHTING FOR YOURSELF, LOVE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR, FOR YOUR SCHOOL MATE, FOR YOUR CHILD TO HAVE BASIC, BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE BILL PROHIBITS ANYONE UNDER 18 FROM RECEIVING GENDER TRANSITION SERVICES. I DON’T THINK IT’S FAIR THAT ANYONE HAS LESS THAN ANY ANY LESS RIGHTS THAN ANY OTHER PERSON. AND I DON’T WANT TO BE SCARED TO LIVE THE WAY I WANT TO AND BE THE PERSON I WANT TO BE JUST BECAUSE OF SOME LAWS. GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR VETOED THE BILL OVER THE BREAK AT A RALLY INSIDE THE CAPITOL. SUPPORTERS OF THE BILL CALLED FOR LAWMAKERS TO OVERRIDE THE VETO. AND WE CANNOT ALLOW PEOPLE TO CONTINUE DOWN THE PATH OF FANTASY TO WHERE THEY’RE GOING TO END UP TEN, 20, 30 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND FIND THEMSELVES MISERABLE FROM DECISIONS THAT THEY MADE WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG. THEY PRAISED OTHER PARTS OF THE BILL THAT LIMIT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT LGBTQ ISSUES IN SCHOOL AND GIVE PARENTS THE RIGHT TO OPT THEIR CHILDREN OUT OF CURRICULUM THEY DISAGREE WITH. AND WE SHOULD HAVE THE SAY AT EVERY PART OF THEIR LIFE. AND THAT’S WHAT THIS LEGISLATION IS ABOUT. MY CHILDREN DON’T BELONG TO THE GOVERNMENT. THEY DON’T BELONG TO THE SCHOOL. THEY DON’T BELONG TO SOME IDEA GOD GAVE THEM TO ME AND THEY BELONG TO ME. NOW, LATER IN THE DAY, OPPONENTS MOVED INSIDE TO THE CAPITOL ROTUNDA AND THEIR PROTEST CHANTS WERE SO LOUD YOU COULD HEAR THEM INSIDE THE SENATE CHAMBERS DURING THE VOTE TO OVERRIDE THE SENATE BILL. 150 VETO IN FRANKFORT, MARK
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Kentucky's GOP-dominated legislature overrides veto; trans youth bill becomes law
Kentucky's legislature has overridden a controversial bill related to transgender youths. It now becomes law. Senate Bill 150, in its final form, bans gender affirming care to minors, blocks teachers from using a student's preferred pronouns, requires school districts to form bathroom policies based on biological sex and limits discussion about LGBTQ issues sexual education classes.→ WLKY's Mark Vanderhoff was inside the hearings. Read his updates here. On Wednesday, the second to last day of the General Assembly, hundreds of people gathered to rally on both sides of the issues.Protesters against the legislation filled the lawn in front of the Capitol. A smaller rally formed with those for the bill inside the rotunda after. The GOP-dominated Senate passed the measure first 29-8. It then went straight to the also majority Republican House, where protesters disrupted chambers by breaking out in chants.Among the chants was "Henry, Zachee, they should be with us today." Both are trans people who have died in recent months.Henry was the son of Sen. Karen Berg, who was very vocal against the various trans bills this session. Zachee is a trans woman who was killed in Louisville, at her place of work.Chants went on as members of the House explained their votes. The protesters were then escorted by Kentucky State Police.We're told 19 people were arrested and are being charged with trespassing.SB 150 has been contentious at the Capitol. It swiftly passed with modifications on the last day before the General Assembly break, when another failed bill was mashed into it. It was vetoed by Gov. Andy Beshear days ago.Wednesday's debates are likely to spill over into this year’s gubernatorial campaign in Kentucky and could reach the courts if opponents follow through on a threat to mount a legal challenge against the bill.Bill supporters say it protects trans children from undertaking gender-affirming treatments they might regret as adults. Research shows such regret is rare, however."It will protect the lives of Kentucky's children by setting our public policy in alignment with the truth, that each and every child is created as a biological male or female," David Walls, with the Family Foundation, said. Those against the bill say it will endanger trans students, who are already at high risk for suicide and depression."As a trans girl, I think it would affect me pretty heavily and I know that my school and home environment are safe spaces, but I know some people who don't have that same space. I know its going to affect them so much," Amber Atwell said.The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Kentucky's legislature has overridden a controversial bill related to transgender youths. It now becomes law.

Senate Bill 150, in its final form, bans gender affirming care to minors, blocks teachers from using a student's preferred pronouns, requires school districts to form bathroom policies based on biological sex and limits discussion about LGBTQ issues sexual education classes.

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WLKY's Mark Vanderhoff was inside the hearings. Read his updates here.

On Wednesday, the second to last day of the General Assembly, hundreds of people gathered to rally on both sides of the issues.

Protesters against the legislation filled the lawn in front of the Capitol. A smaller rally formed with those for the bill inside the rotunda after.

The GOP-dominated Senate passed the measure first 29-8. It then went straight to the also majority Republican House, where protesters disrupted chambers by breaking out in chants.

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Among the chants was "Henry, Zachee, they should be with us today." Both are trans people who have died in recent months.

Henry was the son of Sen. Karen Berg, who was very vocal against the various trans bills this session. Zachee is a trans woman who was killed in Louisville, at her place of work.

Chants went on as members of the House explained their votes. The protesters were then escorted by Kentucky State Police.

We're told 19 people were arrested and are being charged with trespassing.

SB 150 has been contentious at the Capitol. It swiftly passed with modifications on the last day before the General Assembly break, when another failed bill was mashed into it.

It was vetoed by Gov. Andy Beshear days ago.

Wednesday's debates are likely to spill over into this year’s gubernatorial campaign in Kentucky and could reach the courts if opponents follow through on a threat to mount a legal challenge against the bill.

Bill supporters say it protects trans children from undertaking gender-affirming treatments they might regret as adults. Research shows such regret is rare, however.

"It will protect the lives of Kentucky's children by setting our public policy in alignment with the truth, that each and every child is created as a biological male or female," David Walls, with the Family Foundation, said.

Those against the bill say it will endanger trans students, who are already at high risk for suicide and depression.

"As a trans girl, I think it would affect me pretty heavily and I know that my school and home environment are safe spaces, but I know some people who don't have that same space. I know its going to affect them so much," Amber Atwell said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.