City of Lawrence puts out statement saying it’s committed to protecting trans people, won’t make arrests under SB 180

photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

Lawrence Police Chief Rich Lockhart spoke at a PFLAG meeting Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at the Lawrence Public Library. Next to Lockhart, from left, are Sgt. Meagan Shipley, police IT workers Brit Crossen and Isabelle Franceschi, and Detective Meghan Bardwell.

The City of Lawrence and its leaders remain committed to equity and inclusion for all residents, despite the recent passage of state laws targeting transgender people, the city said in a written statement Friday.

The statement says the city still holds to its mission for Lawrence: “A community where all people enjoy life and feel at home. All people includes members of the Lawrence trans community, and our team is dedicated to making sure our trans community feels safe as they live, work and enjoy life in Lawrence, Kansas.”

The statement notes that inclusive principles “have long been part of what makes Lawrence a welcoming community for all, and the passage of SB180 will not change this.”

SB 180 is a new state law that goes into effect on July 1. It bars transgender people from using restrooms, locker rooms and other public facilities that align with their gender identity, but the law has no enforcement provisions.

The city’s statement says that the Lawrence Police Department “will not arrest anyone under the guise of SB180,” which the Journal-World reported earlier this week when Police Chief Rich Lockhart spoke at a Lawrence PFLAG meeting, and the statement encourages anyone who feels they’re being harassed or threatened for using the bathroom of their choice to call the police.

Mayor Lisa Larsen also vowed at a PFLAG meeting the week prior to personally fight SB 180 “tooth and nail.”

Two days after the mayor spoke, the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office said it would not prosecute any cases under SB 180, calling the law cruel and hateful.

On June 6, members of the public called on the City Commission not to enforce the far-reaching transgender bathroom ban and declare Lawrence a sanctuary city for transgender, nonbinary and gender nonconforming people, as the Journal-World reported. Commissioners said at the time that the city’s legal department had already been looking into the matter. The commission is set to have a 45-minute executive session ahead of its meeting Tuesday with city legal staff. The notice states the executive session is to discuss “privileged legal communications from the city’s attorneys regarding local laws and regulations and applicable laws.”

Here is the entire text of the city’s Friday statement:

City of Lawrence remains committed to equity and inclusion despite passage of SB180

The City of Lawrence and its leaders, including those at the Lawrence, Kansas Police Department, remain committed to our mission for Lawrence: A community where all people enjoy life and feel at home. All people includes members of the Lawrence trans community, and our team is dedicated to making sure our trans community feels safe as they live, work and enjoy life in Lawrence, Kansas.

These inclusive principles have long been part of what makes Lawrence a welcoming community for all, and the passage of SB180 will not change this. We accept and respect each other regardless of who we are, what we look like, how we live or how we choose to express ourselves.

“Our organization is committed to advancing equity and inclusion to ensure all members of our community are able to enjoy life and feel safe,” said Dr. Farris Muhammad, Director of Equity and Inclusion. “Our team works diligently to make the City of Lawrence an equitable community of choice for ALL, including our transgender and other marginalized community members.”

To be clear, SB180 contains no enforcement mandates, and the Lawrence, Kansas Police Department will not arrest any person for using a bathroom or public facility that aligns with their gender identity. While we acknowledge that the new law might lead some members of the public to believe they can call the police over bathroom-use issues, we will not arrest anyone under the guise of SB180.

“I want everyone in our community, which I share as your neighbor, to trust the members of our police department and to know that we are doing our best to protect every single person here,” said Chief Rich Lockhart. “We don’t want anyone to feel unsafe. We’re here to help everyone live peacefully, and that includes those in our trans and gender non-conforming community. If anyone feels they’re being harassed or threatened for using the bathroom of their choice, call us.”

City leaders will continue to do everything we can to make sure Lawrence is – and will remain – a safe and welcoming place for all.

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