JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — House legislators have approved a plan limiting transgender athletes, requiring individuals in sixth grade or older to play on sports teams aligning with their birth gender.
The measure, approved late Monday on a 104-46 vote, will now head to the Senate, where that chamber has already approved restrictions that go further than the House plan, limiting students in all grades.
Proponents have called the issue a matter of fairness and say they are protecting women's sports from transgender women with physical advantages.
Opponents argue the Missouri State High School Activities Association already has measures addressing transgender participation, including a rule that transgender girls undergo one year of hormone therapy or complete hormone suppression before participating on the girls team. And athletes must continue to provide documentation to prove appropriate hormone levels.
The Senate vote broke along party lines, with the exception of Democrat Doug Beck, from south St. Louis County, who criticized MSHSAA's policy for not requiring independent testing.
Democrats have said there are few transgender athletes in Missouri and that Republicans are blowing the issue out of proportion for campaign reasons.
House lawmakers have yet to act on the Senate's more restrictive limits, but could vote to send that plan to Gov. Mike Parson by the Legislature's May 12 deadline.
The legislation is House Bill 183 and Senate Bill 39.
