Judge extends suspension of Missouri AG’s transgender rule

By JIM SALTER
Associated Press

A judge has extended her order barring the enforcement of a unique rule pushed by Missouri’s Republican attorney general that would require adults and children to undergo more than a year of therapy and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery. Attorney General Andrew Bailey had sought to implement the rule effective April 27, prompting a lawsuit. St. Louis County Judge Ellen Ribaudo on Monday granted a temporary restraining order and originally scheduled a May 11 hearing. A posting Thursday on Missouri’s online court system shows the hearing was delayed to July 20 at the request of both sides. Critics say Bailey exceeded his authority in making the rule.