‘Neither side got exactly what they wanted’: Missouri Senate approves ban on minor transgender treatments after overnight filibuster
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
After more than 13 hours of filibustering, Missouri senators gave initial approval to a pair of bills dealing with transgender issues and children. A final vote could come as soon as Wednesday.
Democratic senators held the floor for most of the overnight session, which started just after 4 p.m. Monday, and ended around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. The filibuster was over Sen. Mike Moon's (R-Ash Grove) bill banning gender transition treatments for minors.
Behind-the-scenes negotiations led to some changes that Democratic senators deemed good enough to allow a vote, although the bill still only received approval along party lines. The approved version would expire on Aug. 28, 2027.
President Pro Tem Sen. Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia) said compromises were made on both sides. Rowden said this remained a priority for Republicans and he's happy with what was done.
"Neither side got exactly what they wanted," Rowden said. "I think that we got a good amount of what we wanted that I think will at least pump the breaks on, you know, kids going down a road of hormone therapy and these things that can lead to in some cases irreparable harm."
When asked why negotiations took so long, Rowden said emotional issues like this one "just take a long time."
Katy Erker-Lynch, executive director of PROMO (an LGBTQ+ public policy and advocacy organization), has been against these and similar bills for years. Erker-Lynch said the fight is not over and PROMO will continue to push against these bills every step of the way.
"When it comes to gender-affirming health care there is no compromise," Erker-Lynch said.
Erker-Lynch said the inclusion of a sunset shows her that this is a "politically-motivated attack."
Another bill, named the "Save Women's Sports Act" by sponsor Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder (R-Cape Girardeau), was also given initial approval early Tuesday morning after being amended to expire on Aug. 28, 2027. That bill bans transgender girls from participating in girls sports in K-12 public schools.
As a result of the overnight filibuster, all Senate committee hearings for Tuesday are canceled and the Senate is scheduled to readjourn at 4 p.m. Tuesday. A third read and final vote of both bills could happen later this week.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced emergency regulations Monday for gender-affirming care such as the use of puberty blockers. Bailey called gender transition treatments “experimental, they are covered by existing Missouri law governing unfair, deceptive, and unconscionable business practices, including in administering healthcare services.”
The emergency regulation will last “30 legislative days or 180 days, whichever is longer,” according to the statement.
