KS Gov. Kelly vetoes parental rights bill, bringing veto count to highest in at least 19 years
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a bill Monday that would have ensured Kansas parents could remove their child from any classroom assignment they disagreed with, so long as that assignment violates their sincerely held beliefs or was not part approved curriculum or standards.
The bill represented a softened version of policy lawmakers had once dubbed the “parents bill of rights.” Rather than sweeping legislation that codified a set of “rights” for public school parents and allowed for the challenging of curriculum, the new bill would limit parents to pulling their own child from an assignment. But it does not get that child out of completing alternate work to earn credit.
The softened impacts of the bill were not enough to earn the support of Kelly or her key allies in public education. In her veto message Monday Kelly called the legislation a distraction from educating students.
“This bill distracts from that goal, inserting partisan politics into the classroom at the expense of our students, parents, and teachers,” Kelly said. “The best thing we can do for our students is work together to continue fully funding public education and ensure they have the resources and support to succeed. We can’t do that if we are forced to spend millions of dollars on expensive lawsuits.”
The veto was one of five Kelly issued Monday, alongside a veto of a bill making it harder for abortion providers to obtain liability insurance, a bill increasing work requirements for food stamps and a bill creating a new crime of human smuggling. She also vetoed a flat income tax proposal from Republicans in the morning.
This year, Kelly has vetoed 15 non-budget bills, more than any other governor in at least 19 years.
Republicans were quick to criticize Kelly for the veto on the parental rights bill, but GOP leaders in the House and Senate face an uphill battle to override Kelly’s veto.
The Senate fell four votes short of a veto-proof two-thirds majority last month, while the House fell eight votes short earlier this year.
Despite this, House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, pledged to attempt an override.
“It’s sad to see that with this veto, Governor Kelly has once again sided against parents and their right to direct their own children’s education, upbringing and moral or religious training. By now, most everyone has heard stories of community activists who seek to diminish these rights,” Hawkins said in a statement.
But the veto wasn’t entirely unexpected. Rep. Adam Thomas, an Olathe Republican and chair of the House Education Committee, told The Star earlier this month he would continue adjusting the bill and meeting with opposing groups until lawmakers landed on a version that could either gain Kelly’s support or a veto-proof majority.
The high number of vetoes has drawn steep criticism from GOP lawmakers who say it proves Kelly broke her campaign promise to govern from the middle.
“As Joe Biden prepares to launch his re-election bid, it is apparent that the governor seems to be following in his footsteps by doing whatever the radical left asks of her, rather than honoring her pledge to meet us in the middle,” Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, said in a statement.
However, Kelly also announced Monday she would allow a bill prohibiting state and local governments from making investments or signing contracts based purely on environmental and social governance to become law without her signature despite concerns about unintended consequences.
“I am encouraged that Gov. Kelly allowed this bill to become law without her signature,” said Kansas Treasurer Steven Johnson, a Republican. “There is a broad consensus that so-called environmental, social or governance (ESG) criteria should not take the place of traditional fiduciary principles in decisions about how taxpayer dollars are spent and invested. I commend the members of the Legislature for their work on this important legislation.”
Correction: An original version of this story incorrectly said parents could only object to materials that were not included in approved standards. The bill would also enable them to object if it violates their sincerely held beliefs.
This story was originally published April 24, 2023 at 4:57 PM.
