Missouri House members gathered for more than eight hours Wednesday to ask questions and hear testimony on a list of bills that would impose further restrictions on transgender people in the state.
Among the seven bills the House Emerging Issues Committee heard comments on: would remove a sunset clause in Missouri law that prohibits transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming medical care, such as puberty blockers; Bills are also included.
Missouri lawmakers passed a law known as the SAFE Act last legislative session that would create a grandfather clause and ban the use of puberty blockers and hormone treatments for transgender youth who are already receiving prescribed medical care. Both clause expiration dates were included.
Both of these changes were added for the bill to pass the Missouri Senate, where Democrats filibustered an earlier bill.
Rep. Brad Hudson, R-Cape Fair; sponsored A bill introduced in the last session of the House of Representatives. He said he is trying to change the law because he disagrees with both of these provisions of the law.
“There shouldn't have been a sunset in the first place. And I think that needs to be removed,” Hudson said.
Gender-affirming care includes not only social support but also medical and mental health treatment.
The practice is supported by multiple medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association. Doctors say it is rare for minors to undergo any form of transition-related surgery before the age of 18.
Repealing the ban's expiration date drew pushback from Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Ashley Orne, D-Kansas City.
“I fully understand that the reason for the sunset is to allow the bill to be enacted and see what the likely unintended consequences of that would be,” Orne said. .
Hudson also proposed legislation that would: A medical institution or professional opts out of participation in gender-affirming medical treatment that is “contrary to the moral, ethical, or religious beliefs of the institution or professional.”
“This bill only allows doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to refuse to perform certain procedures that violate their conscience,” Hudson said.
Testimony on these two bills alone lasted more than three hours and ended up with more people opposing the bills than for them.
One of those who spoke in favor of the bill was Jamie Reed, a former caseworker at the Transgender Center at Washington University Children's Hospital in St. Louis.
Last February, Mr. Reed alleged fraud and improper treatment at the clinic. An internal investigation by the University of Washington found that her claims were unsubstantiated. These sparked political firestorms and helped fuel her interest in passing a ban on transition-related medical care for transgender minors in the state.
“Passing the SAFE Act was the right thing to do. And I'm here today to support extending it beyond sunset,” Reed said.
In her testimony to the committee, Katie Aaker-Lynch, executive director of PROMO Missouri, an LGBTQ public policy and advocacy group, cited the number of former Missourians who left the state in response to the law passed last year. Ta.
“The total harm this legislative body has done to transgender and queer Missourians is immeasurable,” Aker Lynch said.
In addition to Hudson's two bills, committee members heard testimony on the following bills:
- Restrict access to public school bathrooms, lockers, and shower rooms to the gender assigned at birth.
- Creates new definitions of “sex,” “male,” and “female” in the Missouri Human Rights Act. The definition is based on reproductive organs.
- It attempts to create new legal definitions of gender terms and define gender as synonymous with sex.
- Prohibits employers from requiring employees to share multi-occupancy restrooms with members of the opposite sex.
The U.S. Supreme Court this week declined to consider bathroom access for transgender students in public schools.
Tuesday's court decision not to entertain an appeal by an Indiana school district marks a lower court ruling allowing transgender students to use restrooms consistent with their gender identity status.
