Kansas is about to invalidate the driver’s licenses of roughly 1,700 transgender residents and reissue up to 1,800 birth certificates — not because of fraud or error, but because those documents reflect who they are.

This new law, passed over Governor Laura Kelly’s veto, goes further than similar policies in other states by requiring the reversal of changes that were legally made. It forces Kansans to carry identification that does not match their lived identity, putting them at risk of confusion, humiliation, and potential harm when showing ID to employers, police officers, landlords, or airport security.

Regardless of political party, most of us believe government should make life more stable — not more chaotic — for law-abiding residents. Yet this law strips away documents people have relied on for years and requires them to pay out of pocket for replacements. It sends a message that some Kansans’ identities can be erased by legislative vote.

This is an attack on basic dignity, privacy, and public safety. Retroactively invalidating legal documents creates unnecessary disruption and opens the door to government overreach into deeply personal matters.

We call on the Kansas Legislature to repeal the provisions requiring the cancellation of previously updated driver’s licenses and birth certificates, and we urge Governor Laura Kelly to continue pursuing all available legal and executive options to protect affected residents. Lawmakers should work across party lines to craft policies that respect individual liberty, minimize harm, and keep Kansas families safe.

Kansas can lead with fairness and common sense — but only if its leaders choose unity over division.