51黑料

The governor told reporters gathered in his office he signed the new laws behind closed doors earlier in the day with little of the fanfare of other bill signings because the issue is controversial.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a divisive issue to some,鈥� Parson said, adding he did not speak with families or individuals affected by the law before he took action.

Under the law, which goes into effect Aug. 28, transgender minors would no longer have access to puberty blockers, hormones or gender-affirming surgery. The ban also affects some adults 鈥� Medicaid health care won鈥檛 cover any gender-affirming care in the state, and surgery will no longer be available to prisoners and inmates.

鈥淲e support everyone鈥檚 right to his or her own pursuit of happiness; however, we must protect children from making life-altering decisions that they could come to regret in adulthood once they have physically and emotionally matured,鈥� Parson said.

鈥�These decisions have permanent consequences for life and should not be made by impressionable children who may be in crisis or influenced by the political persuasions of others,鈥� he added.

Under the new law, doctors who treat patients in violation of the law would be subject to professional discipline and civil liability.

Opponents say the changes will trigger an exodus of transgender individuals and their families from Missouri to states that don鈥檛 have treatment bans in place.

But Parson, a Republican, called that assessment a 鈥渇alse narrative.鈥�

鈥淚 hate to think anybody leaves the state for that, but if they do, they have the right to do that,鈥� the governor added.

Lawmakers sent him the measure on one of the final days of the legislative session after Parson threatened to keep them in the Capitol during the summer if they didn鈥檛 take action.

The ban includes exceptions for minors already receiving such treatments. And, it expires in four years as part of a deal brokered by Democrats, who are in the minority in the House and Senate.

Sen. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, who is the lone openly gay member of the Senate, said the new laws are an overreach by Republicans.

鈥淢issouri Republicans in the Legislature have now given the government new power to control people they鈥檝e never met, over an issue they don鈥檛 understand,鈥� Razer said. 鈥淲hen these bills expire in four years, I plan on being there to make sure they never come back.鈥�

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, blasted Parson following the signing.

鈥淭he governor had a chance to protect innocent families who are just trying to live their lives in peace. Instead he chose to persecute them. The governor could have said 鈥榥o鈥� to bigotry and hate. Instead he embraced it. History tends to reflect poorly on oppression and the oppressors, and the stain of this action will not wash away,鈥� said Quade, who is considering a bid for governor in 2024.

The ACLU of Missouri earlier said the two measures weaponize the government to 鈥渋ntimidate people through the denial of basic health care and exclusion from extracurricular activities.鈥�

鈥淚 understand there are going to be disagreements. But in the long run it鈥檚 the right thing to do,鈥� Parson said.

At least 16 other states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors as part of a national culture war push by conservative Republicans heading toward the 2024 election.

More than 20 other states have approved restrictions on transgender athletes鈥� participation in sports.

51黑料 and Kansas City officials say they will work to make their cities are sanctuaries for trans people as a bulwark against the state laws.

Mayor Tishaura O. Jones signed an executive order in May calling the laws a 鈥渉ateful persecution of vulnerable children.鈥� It also calls for changes across city government to mitigate the effects, including a declaration that city-run sports programs won鈥檛 ask youth participants about their gender identity.

鈥淚n 51黑料, everyone should have the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their gender identity or expression,鈥� Jones said on Twitter Wednesday.

Yamelsie Rodr铆guez, president of Planned Parenthood of the 51黑料 Region and Southwest Missouri said, 鈥淲e are tired of saying it, but we will repeat it, 鈥楶oliticians need to get out of our exam rooms.鈥欌��

Rodriguez added that they would assist people who need help once the ban goes into effect.

鈥淲e will work with you to get the care you need in Missouri, or if you prefer, we will help you get care in Illinois, where gender-affirming care is protected under state law,鈥� she said.

Susan Halla, who lives in 51黑料 and is the national board president of the TransParent volunteer support group, said she is hopeful Missouri鈥檚 law and other similar legislation recently passed by Republican-led states will be thrown out by the courts.

On Tuesday, a federal judge temporarily blocked portions of a new Florida law that bans transgender minors from receiving hormone treatments and puberty blockers, ruling the state has no rational basis for denying patients treatment.

鈥淚t is not surprising that our governor has signed these hateful bills in silence,鈥� Halla said. 鈥淗e knows that these bills are unconstitutional and will not stand in a court of law. 鈥� These laws harm children and remove the constitutional rights of parents to provide medically necessary care to their children.鈥�

Shira Berkowitz, senior director of public policy for the PROMO Missouri advocacy organization, also noted how the bill was signed into law during a month that recognizes progress in the rights of the LGBTQ population dating back to the 1969 Stonewall riots, a series of gay liberation protests in Manhattan.

鈥淲e exist as a movement because of the power of the trans women of color who led the way at Stonewall and before,鈥� Berkowitz said. 鈥淭hese attacks, while newly etched in law, add to our embarrassing history of elected leaders intentionally taking action to harm transgender Missourians.鈥�

The legislation is and .

Michele Munz of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.