Vee Blase, who is from Jefferson City and identifies as nonbinary, holds up a flag in support of a transgender rights rally at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on Saturday, April 29, 2023.
JEFFERSON CITY — A House panel Monday endorsed making restrictions on health care and sports for transgender children permanent.
In approving the legislation on successive 10-4 party line votes, the Republican-led Emerging Issues Committee put the bills in position to hit the House floor for further debate as soon as next week.
The legislation, sponsored by Reps. Hardy Billington, Brian Seitz, Jamie Gragg and Ben Baker, would remove a 2027 expiration date on the ban affecting transgender minors and further restrict people under 18 from continuing puberty blockers and other related prescriptions issued prior to the passage of a 2023 law.
Since the law took effect, Washington University said it would stop providing gender-transition medications to minors who were technically eligible for the treatments under an exception in the law for minors already taking medications. The school cited “unacceptable†legal liability contained in the law.
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Billington, R-Poplar Bluff, and Seitz, R-Branson, said they are pursuing the legislation to protect children from making decisions that will affect them for the remainder of their lives.
Seitz also said it is unfair for biological males to participate in women’s athletic competitions.
“I think Missouri is a state that wants to protect children,†said Rep. Barry Hovis, R-Whitewater.
Currently on minors accessing gender-affirming care according to KFF Health News.
House leaders back the change being sought by rank-and-file members.
“We recognize that since that is something we want to prioritize, that is something that we want to work on, doing it now in this year where things seem to be running a little smoothly, makes a lot of sense,†House Majority Leader Alex Riley, R-Springfield, said Thursday.
The action by the House follows a Senate move last week to make current restrictions on transgender minors permanent as part of a larger bill to get rid of expiration dates on a handful of laws and state programs.
While the Senate proposal became the subject of a Democratic filibuster and remains unfinished, Senate Majority Leader Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, said the legislation remains a priority for Republicans who control all levers of state government.
“Let me be clear, we are not backing down, and we aren’t alone in this fight,†Luetkemeyer said.
Along with action in the House and Senate, President Donald Trump earlier issued an executive order prohibiting transgender women from participating on women’s sports teams.
Democrats say the focus on transgender youth by Republicans is misguided and mean-spirited.
“I wish that before we propose legislation or pass legislation like this, that legislators, that our president would take the time to understand the problem, understand the science, and make a decision based on that information, rather than making a decision based on personal bias,†House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, D-Kansas City, told reporters last week.
“It’s just really disappointing to see,†said Rep. Wick Thomas, D-Kansas City, who is the only openly transgender member of the House. Thomas voted “no.â€
“I will defend their rights to exist until my last breath,†said Rep. Elizabeth Fuchs, D-51ºÚÁÏ, who also voted against the legislation.
The legislation includes Hous16, 1081 and 113.
