Springfield, Mo. – Closing arguments were heard in the evidentiary hearing for the preliminary injunction against the portions of Senate Bill 49 that would ban gender-affirming care for adults receiving Medicaid and for adolescents. The lawsuit was brought by the ACLU of Missouri, Lambda Legal, and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP on behalf of three families of transgender young people, medical providers, and the organizations PFLAG National and GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality. The law is scheduled to take effect on August 28.
The ACLU of Missouri, Lambda Legal, and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP issued a joint statement following the hearing:
“SB 49 threatens the health and wellbeing of all trans youth in Missouri, as well as all transgender MOHealthNet beneficiaries, young and adult alike. It threatens parental rights and interferes with the careful planning and decision-making undertaking by trans youth, their parents, and their providers.
"Over the past week, we were able to share the stories of the families of trans youth, medical providers, and membership organizations we represent, as well as show how access to gender-affirming medical care is necessary and essential to the health and wellbeing of countless transgender Missourians.
“SB 49 is not about improving patient care in Missouri; it is about preventing people from being transgender. The law is rooted in discrimination as it would deny evidence-based, necessary, and often lifesaving medical care to transgender people while allowing a non-transgender person to obtain the same treatment.
"The state’s experts were not up to snuff as they conceded that there is no evidence supporting their approach and the level of evidence they would require for gender-affirming medical care is not required for most medical interventions. No other country in the world has enforced the restrictions as laid out in SB 49, which would put Missouri out-of-step with the rest of the world.
“We are appreciative of the court’s time and the opportunity to present our case. We look forward to the Court’s decision.”