Missouri is one step closer to an indefinite ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors.
The House voted 102 to 40 Thursday to approve legislation that would remove the 2027 sunset from the state's current moratorium on treatments such as hormone therapy and puberty blockers. Two Democrats voted present.
Speaking before the vote, bill sponsor Rep. Melissa Schmidt, R-Elridge, said children should wait until turning 18, so they don't regret the gender-affirming care as adults.
"Children must be handled with compassion and be given the treatment that's needed to effectively treat gender dysphoria, which includes a slow approach of supportive counseling," Schmidt said.
Rep. Elizabeth Fuchs, D-St. Louis City, who has advocated for queer and transgender Missourians, said: "To my colleagues who insist on legislating trans people out of existence, I promise you that I will be in your way at every step."
Some Republicans said there hasn't been enough long-term research on gender-affirming care and other countries, such as the U.K., don't allow treating minors.
"Children are our biggest export in the state of Missouri. We need to protect our biggest export," said Rep. Jamie Gragg, R-Ozark. "We're damaging them, because this is unfounded science."
At the heart of Democrats and Republicans' debate on the legislation was a disagreement over the research on gender-affirming care.
Several Republicans cited the American Society of Plastic Surgeons' statement last week recommending that gender-affirming surgeries be postponed until 19.
The legislation to repeal the 2027 sunset on gender-affirming care is unrelated to surgery, which is rare and already permanently banned in the state.
"No one's being mutilated, no one's being experimented on, no one's being abused, no one's going to school as a girl and coming home a boy," said Rep. Jo Doll, D-St. Louis County. "But that's the kind of stuff that you want people to believe."
Some Republicans also misquoted the American Medical Association, which recently clarified its support for non-surgical gender-affirming care, such as that which the House moved to ban Thursday.
Rep. Wick Thomas, D-Kansas City, who is transgender and non-binary, said many of the people who have testified against the legislation have visited their office to personally ask for support.
During first round approval of the bill Tuesday, Thomas spoke directly to them.
"Just know, I was one of you. And I never had any concerns. I never had any shame around who I was," Thomas said. "What affected my mental health was the rhetoric coming out of rooms like this."
HB 2033 will now be sent to the Senate for consideration.
The House is also expected to debate legislation soon that would permanently keep transgender people from participating on sports teams that align with their gender identity.
Copyright 2026 St. Louis Public Radio
