Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said Thursday that the state will continue to allow transgender residents to change their birth certificates and driver’s licenses, in spite of a new law that would discontinue that practice.

The “Women’s Bill of Rights” was approved by the Kansas Legislature, vetoed by Governor Kelly, and then lawmakers voted to override the veto.   It goes into effect July 1st, and it calls for residents to list their gender at birth on their driver’s licenses and birth certificates.

Governor Kelly has issued a directive to agencies under her control, allowing them to defy a legal opinion that was issued earlier this week by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach.

Kobach issued a statement Thursday calling the governor’s action “nonsense.”   He said “The Governor doesn’t get to veto a bill and then ignore the Legislature’s override. She is violating her oath of office to uphold Kansas law. We will see her in court.”