Missouri Senate goes home for break without vote on bill banning transgender health care

JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri Senate adjourned for its weeklong spring break a day early Wednesday, after negotiations surrounding legislation to ban gender-affirming care for minors appeared to fall apart.

The sudden move to end the first half of the legislative session came after hours of closed-door debate on Senate Bill 49, which seeks to prevent Missourians younger than 18 from accessing puberty blockers, hormone therapy, surgery and other gender-affirming health care services.

Republicans have touted measures addressing transgender youth in the state as a top priority during this legislative session. Democrats halted floor action throughout Tuesday and Wednesday as members worked toward a potential compromise on the issue, but on Wednesday evening the Republican-led chamber ended the week without a vote.

The top two Senate Republicans, President Pro Tempore Caleb Rowden of Columbia and Majority Floor Leader Cindy O'Laughlin of Shelbina, were not available for comment immediately following the sudden adjournment. A group of Republican senators, including the bill's sponsor Sen. Mike Moon of Ash Grove, initially planned to hold a press conference but upon learning leadership would not hold their own, called it off and said they planned to issue a statement.

The legislation at the center of the days-long debate would ban both surgical and nonsurgical health care services relating to gender transitioning for minors. Moon and other Republican proponents of the measure have touted it as necessary to halt what they call "child abuse" and "mutilation;" opponents have warned the ban would harm transgender youth who rely on the care for physical and mental well-being.

Sen. Greg Razer, a Kansas City Democrat who is openly gay and has been one of the most vocal advocates against the bill, said Wednesday evening that it had been "a sad day for the Missouri Senate" and that several Republican senators were obstinate during closed-door negotiations.

"We have tried to find compromise," Razer said. "I have given and given, but a compromise requires the other side to bend a little, too. And certain members are refusing to bend, and so we're going home."

He said he believed Republicans would pass some version of the legislation before early May, which could include the use of a rare procedural move to cut off debate — and lead Democrats to grind the chamber to a halt for the rest of session.

"If they want to pass it that bad, they can PQ me as soon as we get back and they can pass their bill," Razer said. "And then we have to do what we have to do, which means there's going to be no budget passed. I don't know how we ever get through the procedural motions. Nothing else is going to get passed."

The leader of the Senate Democrats expressed similar sentiments earlier Wednesday, saying "in a world where one side waits for the other side to continue to give them things, it makes it harder and harder" to reach a deal.

Razer and other Democrats held the floor throughout Wednesday afternoon, criticizing the legislation as discriminatory and harmful.

"They don't understand these kids," Razer said. "They don't understand who the transgender community is, the basic science of it, and they want to dictate to doctors and to the parents and the kids what medicine can be provided and what medical care can be provided."

After declining to hold a press conference, several conservative senators took to social media to express their displeasure at the early end to debate — indicating lingering divisions among factions of the Republican supermajority despite the formally dissolution of a group calling itself the Conservative Caucus prior to the 2023 session.

"[T]o adjourn one day early Is unbelievable," Moon wrote.

Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Warrensburg Republican, called the end to the week "very disappointing."

A new, altered version of the bill introduced by Moon on Tuesday would allow patients to sue physicians and health care providers who perform gender-affirming health care services. It provides a "rebuttable presumption" that the patient was harmed as a direct result of the care, meaning the burden of proof would lie with the defendant in court. It also bans the use of public funds, employees or facilities for use of performing, assisting or "otherwise counseling" for gender-affirming care.

The Senate will return to session on Monday, March 20.

Read more about the bills on transgender issues advancing through the Missouri legislature:

• With details still uncertain, Missouri Senate to debate bills aimed at transgender youth

• Missouri bills on trans athletes, health care advance amid GOP push on LGBTQ+ issues

• Trans Missourians and families tell lawmakers proposed bills could have fatal consequences

Galen Bacharier covers Missouri politics & government for the News-Leader. Contact him at gbacharier@news-leader.com or on Twitter @galenbacharier.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: MO Senate goes home for break without vote on trans health care ban