Missouri Senate Republicans have drawn a line in the sand. They intend to make permanent a ban on gender transitions among children.
Otherwise known as the SAFE Act, it became law two years ago but is set to expire in August 2027, unless the legislature takes action.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, said the ban needs to be made permanent.
“We are moving conservative priorities ensuring policies we pass reflect the values of the Missourians who elect us,” he said. “One of those important issues for our caucus is protecting Missouri children from the radical transgender ideology. This week we started debate on legislation to remove the sunset from the SAFE Act, ensuring that these protections remain in place.”
Sen. Luetkemeyer said Missouri Republicans are not alone in this fight.
“President Trump signed an executive order barring federal funding for Title 9 from going to schools that allow biological men to compete in women’s sports,” Luetkemeyer said. “This issue remains a top priority for our caucus here in Missouri. We will continue to fight for these protections and Missourians can count on us to stand firm in our conservative values.”
It’s part of a larger bill to get rid of expiration dates tacked onto several laws and state programs. That includes the 2029 sunset of the Federal Reimbursement Allowance, which collects taxes from hospitals to cover most of the cost of Missouri’s Medicaid program. Democrats support removing the expiration date for that but oppose it for gender transitions for minors.
“What the FRA does is it actually allows a vast majority of Missourians to get healthcare,” said Democratic Leader Doug Beck. “We think that’s important. That can no longer be leveraged, if that sunset is taken off. It’s no longer on the table as something that can be taken away. So, we think that’s super important.”
The bill would also remove the expiration date on the SHOW MO Act, which provides tax breaks to film producers who make movies and TV shows in Missouri.
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