BY: ANNELISE HANSHAW
Missouri Independent
Legislation that would remove the expiration date on a pair of laws affecting transgender minors passed the Missouri Senate Thursday after a fight by Senate Democrats.
It now heads to the Missouri House for consideration.
The bill in question, which contained a litany of provisions removing sunset dates for various programs, would make permanent a ban on gender-affirming care for minors and restrictions on transgender athletes in public schools.
The Senate tacked on the provisions impacting transgender minors earlier this month, with Democrats beginning their opposition after the changes were already voted onto the bill.
Senate Democratic Leader Doug Beck, of Affton, told reporters that his party moved too slowly and that the anti-transgender amendments to the bill were “spontaneous” and, therefore, unexpected.
He described the slow response as “growing pains” for a caucus with a large portion of new senators.
Democrats filibustered the bill when it came up for consideration twice, slowing down the legislation but not stopping what Republican Senate leaders described as a “top priority.”
State Sen. Stephen Webber, a Democrat from Columbia, held the floor with proposed amendments that would add an expiration date on statutes opposing same-sex marriage.
His first proposal would add a sunset to language in state law that says “any purported marriage not between a man and a woman is invalid.”
His amendment failed with 19 opposed, including one Democrat — state Sen. Karla May of St. Louis. Webber said the vote is an indicator of senators’ motives to “pick on” LGBTQ+ people, rather than the stated intention of protecting children.
“We’re not here talking about kids. We’re not talking about sports,” he said on the Senate floor. “We’re talking about a policy of othering.”
Passing the bill out of the Senate, GOP lawmakers applauded the provisions on gender-affirming care and transgender athletes.
“I want my little girl to be able to participate in sports,” said state Sen. Rick Brattin, a Republican from Harrisonville. “I want to make sure that she’s able to flourish in a sport and not have her dreams and her potential to be completely removed or deserted due to an unfortunate circumstance.”
GOP Sens. Adam Schnelting of St. Charles and Nick Schroer of Defiance said the provisions “protecting children” are the reason they voted in favor of the legislation. But they had reservations on other pieces of the bill removing sunsets on the a tax that funds Missouri’s Medicaid program, which has been a sticking point in previous years.
Two Republicans voted in opposition to the bill, Sens. Mike Moon of Ash Grove and Mary Elizabeth Coleman of Arnold.
