Kansas law voids some transgender drivers’ licenses while leaving others in limbo

After Jamie Miller underwent irreversible gender-affirming surgery and obtained a court order in 2014 recognizing her female gender, her driver’s license was invalidated under a new Kansas law.But not all transgender Kansans’ driver’s licenses have been invalidated.The Kansas Department of Revenue — the state agency that oversees driver’s licenses — sent out letters invalidating some, but not all, transgender Kansans’ licenses following the passage of Senate Bill 244.Multiple transgender residents told Kansas Reflector the notion of being “caught” — the question of if, or when, their letter is coming — hangs over them.But for Miller, a transgender woman from Lawrence, the letter arrived in April. She filed a lawsuit against the state, arguing that invalidating her license goes against her constitutional rights — privacy, compelled speech, due process — and that changing her license to “male” would be fraud.Miller is the primary caregiver for her disabled daughter. Miller’s attorney, David Brown, said her invalidated license affects Miller’s daughter, too, by limiting Miller’s ability to parent.“The child needs medication. The child needs doctor’s visits. The child needs transportation,” Brown said. “(The daughter) does not drive, so many of her life activities require my client to transport her. Her ability to parent her child is limited in unfortunate ways.”Since her license was invalidated, Brown said Miller has been using an electric bike to get around.Colin McAdam, a transgender man from Augusta, uses his car — but with a license that shows “female.” He changed his gender marker shortly after receiving the letter.“I was the only person that I knew that received that letter, so I kind of felt singled out, even though I know that wasn’t the case,” McAdam said.Rep. Abi Boatman, a Wichita Democrat, opposed the new law while it moved through the chambers.“There seems to be a disconnect between the law that w