The Senate will debate a resolution next week that condemns a federal directive to schools over treatment of transgender students and calls for Kansas to join a lawsuit in response.

The decision by Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, to bring up a resolution during the formal last day of session — known as sine die — next Wednesday sets up a split between the House and Senate.

House Speaker Ray Merrick’s office has said the chamber won’t debate a resolution. Merrick is instead circulating a letter among representatives critical of the directive that he intends to send to federal officials.

Wagle said in an email to GOP senators on Wednesday that she would sponsor the resolution. Guidance issued to school districts by President Barack Obama’s administration recently calls on them to allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity.

Both Wagle and Merrick have called the guidance federal overreach. On Wednesday, 11 states filed a lawsuit challenging the directive. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt hasn’t said whether he plans to join the lawsuit.

"Today, we have learned that 11 states have joined in a lawsuit challenging the Obama Administration’s directive regarding transgender students," Wagle wrote in the email. "I wanted to inform you that I will be sponsoring a resolution that will run on sine die supporting student privacy and urging Attorney General Schmidt to join the multi-state lawsuit."

Asked Wednesday about legislative efforts to combat the federal guidance, Equality Kansas director Tom Witt slammed the idea that lawmakers would spend time during sine die debating a resolution. He also criticized Merrick’s letter.

"It’s just more of the Legislature’s ongoing attack on LGBT people and now they’re targeting children," Witt said.