The gay/trans panic legal defense legitimizes and excuses violent and lethal behavior against members of the LGBTQ+ community. The defense is defined by the LGBT Bar as “a legal strategy which asks a jury to find that a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity is to blame for the defendant’s violent reaction, including murder.” This legally sanctioned discrimination against one’s sexual orientation and gender identity must cease in the state of Kansas. 

In 2007, sexual orientation ranked as the third highest motivator for hate crime incidents at 17% of total attacks, only 3rd behind, race (51%) and religion (18%)

Currently, there are several other state legislative efforts to ban and denounce the legitimacy of the gay/trans panic defense. The status of these efforts is as follows: Washington State (in committee), New Mexico (in committee), Texas (in committee), Minnesota (in committee), Pennsylvania (in committee), New Jersey (in committee), Massachusetts (in committee), and the District of Columbia (in committee). At the federal level, the Equality Act, which bans the gay/trans panic defense, has just been introduced. 11

(cites): https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/member-features/gay-trans-panic-defense/