New Dem Kansas gov reinstates protections for LGBT state employees

The new Democratic Kansas governor moved to reinstate protections for LGBTQ state employees in her first official act.

Gov. Laura Kelly signed an executive order on Tuesday to restore a ban on anti-LGBTQ bias in hiring and employment decisions by state agencies, according to the Wichita Eagle.

{mosads}The ban was rescinded by one of Kelly’s conservative Republican predecessors in 2015. In her executive order reinstating it, Kelly also expanded the ban to include state government contractors.

“Discrimination of any kind has no place in Kansas,” she tweeted, echoing a statement she made in her inaugural address. “It will not be tolerated.”

As my first official act as Governor, I am reinstating protections to state employees who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. EO 2019-02 restores rights that were taken away in recent years.

Discrimination of any kind has no place in Kansas. It will not be tolerated. pic.twitter.com/MAi7mFzuYN

— @GovLauraKelly (@GovLauraKelly) January 15, 2019

The ban was originally put in place in 2007 by former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D). Former Gov. Sam Brownback (R) rescinded the ban and said the state legislature should handle setting any such policy.

Kelly has also expressed support for a statewide bill that would extended anti-discrimination protections to all LGBTQ Kansans. A group of the state’s first openly gay state lawmakers have said they will introduce that bill, according to the Eagle.