Gov. Laura Kelly today vetoed two bills that she said would suppress voting in Kansas.
The bills, House Bill 2183 and House Bill 2332, would make it more difficult for Kansans to participate in elections, the governor said.
Gov. Kelly issued a veto statement:
“Although Kansans have cast millions of ballots over the last decade, there remains no evidence of significant voter fraud in Kansas. This bill is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. It is designed to disenfranchise Kansans, making it difficult for them to participate in the democratic process, not to stop voter fraud.
“We also know what happens when states enact restrictive voting legislation. Hundreds of major companies across the nation have made it abundantly clear that this kind of legislation is wrong. Antagonizing the very businesses Kansas is trying to recruit is not how we continue to grow our economy.
“Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto Senate Substitute for House Bill 2183.”
House Democratic Leader Tom Sawyer issued this statement:
“I applaud the governor’s decision to veto S Sub for HB 2183 and HB 2332. These election bills are designed to disproportionately harm elderly Kansans, college students, and members of the military trying to exercise their right to vote. Furthermore, they continue a dangerous trend of taking away powers from other elected officials. The governor and secretary of state deserve the authority entrusted to them by the voters to appropriately respond to emergencies, including when it comes to elections. Removing that power – as these measures do – politicizes the process even further, which hurts all Kansans.”
The ACLU of Kansas executive director, Nadine Johnson, issued this statement:
“We support Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto today striking down a raft of cynical voter suppression bills aimed at disenfranchising Kansas voters.
“We believe that in America, voting is a right, not a privilege conferred on a favored faction able to traverse a bureaucratic, statutory maze calibrated to weaken turnout.
“These measures, rammed through the last session are intended to make voting more difficult and what’s more, they penalize actions and behavior already crimes under Kansas law.
“County Clerks and elections officials opposed these changes. The Secretary of State, who shares a party affiliation with those most determined to undermine Kansans’ ballot access, affirmed that the previous state and national elections were among the most secure in the nation’s history.
“There was no cheating or fraud, the Secretary of State said.
“The ACLU of Kansas believes that instead of following Georgia’s lead in discouraging turnout, Kansas should be working to expand civic participation.
“Democracy requires participation.
“Measures designed to stifle participation are by definition, undemocratic.”
Gov. Kelly today also vetoed a bill that would allow 18-year-olds to carry concealed guns. Currently, the age is 21 but the Legislature’s bill would have allowed 18-year-olds to get permits for concealed weapons.
The following message is from Gov. Laura Kelly regarding her veto of House Bill 2058:
“Throughout my time in public office, I have been a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and of Kansans’ right to own firearms.
“But we can respect and defend the rights of Kansas gun owners while also taking effective steps to keep our children and families safe. Legislation that allows more guns on campus is neither safe nor effective, and it will drive prospective students away from our schools.
“Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto House Bill 2058.”
House Democratic Leader Tom Sawyer issued this statement:
“HB 2058 would allow felons, abusers, and stalkers who move from states with more lenient laws to carry weapons which they are statistically more likely to use to harm and kill their partners and victims. According to Kansas law enforcement, there has been a significant increase in domestic violence since the beginning of the pandemic. I stand in support of the governor’s decision to veto this bill, which will ensure that our state does not allow those situations to become even more dangerous than they already are.”
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who is running for governor, issued this statement:
“The governor’s veto of this reasonable and needed 2nd Amendment legislation is deeply disappointing. The bill strengthens our ability to obtain reciprocity in licensing with other states. It also fixes the roadblock in the permitting process discovered when the governor ordered driver’s license offices closed during the pandemic, making it impossible for new applicants to obtain permits. And it promotes firearms safety by encouraging 18- to 20-year-olds, who lawfully may carry openly under current law, to obtain training and a permit to carry concealed. I hope the Legislature will override this ill-advised veto when it returns in May.”
Former Gov. Jeff Colyer, also a Republican candidate for governor, called on the Legislature to override some of Gov. Kelly’s vetoes.
The governor also vetoed a bill that would allow residents to put the Gadsden flag, a picture of a coiled snake, with “Don’t tread on me,” on state license plates.
The following message is from Gov. Laura Kelly regarding her veto of House Bill 2166:
“As long as I’m governor, I will do everything in my power to ensure that Kansas remains welcoming and inclusive. The Gadsden flag has become, over time, a symbol of racism and divisiveness. By inserting the Gadsden provision into an otherwise positive piece of legislation, the Legislature ensured a veto.
“The Legislature can easily pass and send me the original bill. If they do, I will sign it.”