Kansas court keeps transgender bathroom law in effect as lawsuit proceeds

A Douglas County judge refused to issue a temporary restraining order blocking a fast-tracked Kansas law that bars transgender people from using bathrooms matching their gender identity and invalidates some residents’ gender markers on driver’s licenses, allowing the law to take effect while the lawsuit alleging due process, privacy and equality violations proceeds. The judge found insufficient information to grant the TRO; the law imposes fines and civil liability, and has already affected hundreds of licenses. A case management conference is set for March 18, and advocacy groups launched Operation Lifeboat to assist affected residents.