Kansas Lawmaker Apologizes for Creating Strict Womens Dress Code
Kansas state Sen. Mitch Holmes apologized Tuesday and retracted a dress code that placed strict limits on women testifying before his committee. Holmes, the Republican chairman of the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee, issued a statement saying it was not within his right to provide specific instructions on how women should dress without giving similar guidelines for men, according to the Associated Press. , The Kansas Legislature typically allows its committee leaders to set their own rules, the AP reports, but members of both parties were quick to criticize the guidelines, which said "low-cut necklines and mini-skirts" are inappropriate for women. "My failure to clearly specify that all conferees, regardless of gender, should strive to present themselves professionally is unacceptable," Holmes said.