KU Student Senate full assembly voted on a resolution to call upon the University of Kansas to condemn Kansas Senate Bill 12 Wednesday night.
The Senate Bill 12 (SB 12) bans doctors from providing gender-affirming care for those aged 21 and younger. This includes puberty blockers, estrogen and testosterone supplements, gender reassignment surgery and other medical interventions to affirm one’s gender identity.
Student Senate Chief of Staff Samuel Sokoloff authored and presented this resolution to the assembly. Sokoloff feels it’s vital for the University to stand with the trans community.
“This does not represent Kansas," Sokoloff said. "It doesn’t represent the Kansas I know. I think we should say something about it. I think KU admin should call it out too.”
Sokoloff calls out the discrepancy and dangers of SB 12 in his resolution.
“Bill 12 is a discriminatory, bigoted piece of legislation that will take away trans youths autonomy over their own bodies and personal health decisions, as well as contributing to an atmosphere of bigotry against transgendered people,” the resolution states.
“First and foremost, we should be protecting the trans students here at our University and all the hundreds of people that have gone through hell,” Sokoloff said.
The resolution passed 38-1 with three abstentions. Two bills were presented to the assembly.
Student Body Vice President Alessia Regiana Garcia introduced a bill to amend Title Four of the Student Senate Constitution, creating the Director of Justice that would provide support and administration to the Student Senate Courts.
“The Student Senate courts are in fairly dire straits in terms of leadership,” Garcia said.
The Director of Justice would be responsible for making sure all judicial branch responsibilities would be carried out in accordance with the Student Senate constitution.
The bill passed 39-0 with two abstentions. The assembly voted upon a bill to place a referendum question on the spring 2023 election ballot.
“It was a clear platform goal that we had last spring to make sure that students are paid,” Garcia said.
Garcia presented the bill in hopes to raise student wages to $10.50.
“I think $10.50 is reasonable,” said Student Body President Sadie Williams. “It's on par with where the university is going.”
Sokoloff advocated on behalf of amending the $10.50 to $11.
Zakariya Ahmed, Student Senate fund development director, spoke on the idea of a system for wage increases.
“Let's think about how we can make a system in place for students to have adjusted wages,” Ahmed said.
The assembly voted to amend the $10.50 to $11. However, with many objections to the amendment, the assembly voted to amend the bill to stipulate “an associated Required Campus Fee increase.”
In his negative speech over the bill and amendment, Student Fee Chair Camden Baxter said Student Senate is essentially “swiping the credit card on student money.”
Baxter also pointed out that the increase in student worker wage would also add an increase in campus fees, which would be an unknown amount.
“It is frankly ridiculous to have a referendum on a major policy change that will require an increase in the student fee without having any inkling as to what that increase will entail,” Baxter said. “To me that is lunacy.”
The referendum bill failed 34-6 with one abstention.
The full assembly will meet again on Feb. 8 whereas the Student Senate committees will meet next Feb. 1.
