Committee sends two transgender-related bills to House floor
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
The House General Laws Committee met in the Capitol on Thursday and voted "yes" on two bills, pushing them forward to the floor of the House of Representatives.
House Bill 419 would ban gender affirming care for anyone under the age of 18. According to the bill, no doctor or healthcare professional would be able to provide gender transition procedures to those under 18.
"No public funds may be directly or indirectly used, granted, or distributed to any entity or organization that provides gender transition procedures to any individual under 18 years of age," the bill states.
This bill was matched with strong opposition by numerous state representatives in attendance.
Rep. Peter Merideth (D-St. Louis City) spoke up the most and tried to persuade the group to vote against HB 419.
"Please don't think a 'yes' vote today and allowing it to go to committee or to the floor and you'll vote 'no' there, is doing your job or respecting those parents or those kids because it's not," Merideth said.
Merideth cited stories that members of the committee heard recently while discussing bills.
The second House Bill that was voted on and discussed Thursday was HB 183. The bill would prohibit transgender athletes from playing a sport if they identify with a gender not listed on their birth certificate
A female will still have the chance to play in "an athletics competition designated for male students if there is no such athletics competition for female students offered."
Should it become law, schools that violate the bill risk losing state aid.
This bill was also opposed by numerous representatives. House Bill 419 passed 8-5 (with one present vote), House Bill 183 passed 9-5. The next step is to bring the bills to be voted on by the entire House of Representatives.
