Missouri law banning minors from beginning gender-affirming treatments takes effect

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Two new laws restricting the access of transgender youth in Missouri to gender-affirming health care and school sports took effect Monday.

One law bans minors from beginning puberty blockers and hormones and outlaws gender-affirming surgeries for youths. The other law requires student athletes from kindergarten through college to play on sports teams that align with their sex as assigned at birth.

Republican Gov. Mike Parson signed the bills in June after he and other proponents of the laws pressured the GOP-led legislature to act during this year's session. Both laws are set to expire in 2027.

LGBTQ+ advocates who sued to overturn the health care law were dealt a blow last week when a judge allowed the law to take effect as the court challenge plays out.

HEALTH CARE

The health care law prohibits physicians from providing gender-affirming health care to minors, but young people prescribed puberty blockers or hormones before Aug. 28 can continue to receive those treatments. Adults still have access to transgender health care under the law, but Medicaid will not cover it and prisoners’ access to surgeries is limited.

Missouri’s Planned Parenthood clinics had been ramping up available appointments and holding pop-up clinics to start patients on treatments before the law took effect. Physicians who violate the law face having their licenses revoked and being sued by patients.

“All transgender folks in Missouri who are already getting care will now be denied the use of their public insurance to cover that care,” said Dr. Colleen McNicholas, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri.

She said the ban on Medicaid coverage might mean adult patients already receiving treatments will need to switch to...