[OPPOSE] SB 228: Amendment requiring sheriffs to categorize individuals in jails

The ACLU of Kansas stands strongly opposed to SB 228 as amended by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. While we remain neutral regarding the general contents of SB 228, we take issue with the Senate Committee on the Judiciary’s amendments related to the definition of sex, under which sheriffs would be required to categorize individuals held in Kansas jails. These amendments would result in significant harm to transgender, non-binary, and intersex Kansans who are housed in our county jails, by forcing them to be placed in jails that do not match their gender and opening them up to an increased likelihood of experiencing sexual or physical abuse and worse mental health outcomes.