2 weeks Ago By Ezra Bitterman St Louis Post-Dispatch
JEFFERSON CITY — A Missouri House committee will consider four bills Monday that would continue limits on gender-affirming care for minors beyond a 2027 expiration date. The current law, which prevents minors from receiving puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, is set to expire in August 2027. The Republican bills would get rid of the expiration date.
In addition, current law allows minors who started receiving care before the law took effect in 2023 to continue to access that care. The proposed legislation would cut those patients off from their treatment in 2026. Even with the exception, providers including Washington University physicians stopped providing gender-affirming medications altogether, citing legal liability contained in the new law.
The expiration date and allowances for minors already being treated were hard-fought concessions won by Democrats amid a lengthy Senate filibuster in 2023. The original legislation would have prevented all minors from accessing gender-affirming care even if they were already receiving treatment and did not come with a sunset. At a news conference Monday, House Democrats spoke out against the bills and said they would fight for Missouri’s LGBTQ community.
“What was once high school bullying is now legislation, but we aren’t scared of the bullies anymore, and we have the grace to know that hatred and ignorance are things that can be defeated,” said Rep. Wick Thomas, D-Kansas City, Missouri’s first openly transgender state representative. “The Missouri Legislature, through its overwhelming attack on the gay and trans community, has put the focus on my identity rather than what we should be doing focusing on the welfare of the people of this beautiful state,” Thomas added.
The legislation is gaining traction as the ban’s 2027 expiration date gets closer. House Speaker Rep. Jon Patterson, R-Lee Summit, was one of the few Republicans to vote against the bill even with the concessions made to Democrats.
But this year, as House speaker, he referred the suite of transgender-related bills to committee for possible action. Senate President Cindy O’Laughlin said she supported ending the expiration date in a statement to the Post-Dispatch. “There is no justification for allowing the mutilation of children under the guise of medical care,” she said.
“The Legislature should take action to remove the sunset and permanently ban this horrific practice.” Sen. Brad Hudson, R-Cape Fair, proposed identical legislation to what is being debated in the House.
In 2023, as a state representative, Hudson was a key proponent of the restrictions that were ultimately signed into law. Missouri’s restrictions on transgender minors playing in school sports will also expire in 2027. Several bills that would eliminate that expiration date are also being discussed in a House committee hearing Monday.
Currently 26 states have restrictions on minors accessing gender affirming care according to KFF news. The House Emerging Issues Committee will hear testimony on the bills beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Monday. The hearing will be livestreamed at https://house.mo.
gov/.
