University of Missouri agrees to pay in transgender health care lawsuit settlement; admits no wrongdoing

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The University of Missouri will pay $27,500 into two trust funds after settling a lawsuit with the family of a transgender boy.

ABC 17 News received a copy of the sealed settlement on Thursday. In the agreement, MU does not admit any wrongdoing but will pay about $16,000 into a fund for the boy's disability expenses and nearly $11,500 into another fund for legal expenses.

The family of a youth known only as "K.J." in court documents was one of two families who sued MU Health Care in November 2023. The lawsuit came after MU Health Care stopped providing gender-affirming care to minors. One of the families later dropped out of the lawsuit.

That decision was made after a state law went into effect that August banning gender-affirming care for minors. However, the law contains language that grandfathered in those already receiving care.

The lawsuit claims MU Health Care's decision to stop providing care was discriminatory.

The settlement was signed by the University of Missouri Curators' representative Monday.