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Missouri Politics

Delay for Missouri AG’s transgender health rules extended to July 24

FILE - Republican Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey speaks to reporters after taking the oath of office in Jefferson City, Mo., on Jan. 3, 2023. The Missouri ACLU on Monday, April 24, sued to block new state restrictions on both adults and children seeking gender-affirming health care, which are set to kick in Thursday. They argue that Bailey has no authority to use a state consumer-protection law to regulate gender-affirming care through emergency rule-making.
AP Photo/David A. Lieb, File
FILE - Republican Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey speaks to reporters after taking the oath of office in Jefferson City, Mo., on Jan. 3, 2023. The Missouri ACLU on Monday, April 24, sued to block new state restrictions on both adults and children seeking gender-affirming health care, which are set to kick in Thursday. They argue that Bailey has no authority to use a state consumer-protection law to regulate gender-affirming care through emergency rule-making.
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Published 3:15 PM

CLAYTON, Mo. (KMIZ)

The hold on an emergency rule to limit medical care for gender transitions imposed by Missouri’s attorney general has been extended again to July 24.

A preliminary injunction hearing was initially set for May 11 over Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s emergency rules on limiting gender-affirming care. The temporary restraining order was set to expire May 15. The hearing is now set for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, July 20 after it was requested by both sides of the lawsuit.

The lawsuit filed in St. Louis County includes a Boone County family with a 15-year-old transgender daughter as a plaintiff. The lawsuit is being litigated by Lambda Legal, ACLU of Missouri and Bryan Cave Leighton LLP.

The emergency rule states that “It is unfair, deceptive, fraudulent, or otherwise unlawful” for any health care organization to provide gender-affirming care if the patient:

  • Has not been annually assessed for continuous gender dysphoria 
  • The patient and/or patient's parents have not been informed of all the alleged harms of hormone therapy
  • Provider fails to ensure that the patient has shown and has medically documented proof of a “long-lasting, persistent and intense pattern” of gender dysphoria for three consecutive years
  • Provider fails to ensure that a patient has received a “full psychological or psychiatric
    Assessment” of 15 separate hourly sessions with a therapist (10 of them have to be with the same therapist). These have to be over the course of no fewer than 18 months 

Bailey has previously told ABC 17 News that the rule creates safeguards for treatment.

Article Topic Follows: Missouri Politics

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