Overcoming a Filibuster

Two of the most hotly contested bills before the Legislature advanced out of the Senate this week. Both bills relate to transgender children. Senate Bill 49 prohibits gender transition treatments for patients under the age of 18, while Senate Bill 39 limits participation in school sports to competitions intended for the gender corresponding to the athlete’s birth certificate. Both measures will have to be approved by the House of Representatives and signed by the governor before becoming law.

Known as the “Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act, SB 49 bans the use of puberty blockers, hormone treatments or surgeries to treat minors diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Children who have already begun these treatments will be allowed to continue, but the bill blocks these sorts of treatments and procedures for future patients. The sports bill, SB 39, would deny state funding to any school that allows biological males to compete against female athletes in competitions designated for females. Girls will be able to compete in boys sports when no separate competition is available for girls, but a transgender female will not be allowed to participate in girls’ sports programs. The language of the Senate bill applies to all schools, including public, private, charter, K-12 or post-secondary institutions.

Getting these bills out of the Senate wasn’t easy. We debated these proposals several times over the past few weeks without seeming to make much progress. This week, opponents blocked a vote with a filibuster that continued through the night. After 14 hours, the impasse broke and we approved the two bills just as the sun was coming up in the morning. It’s now up to the House of Representatives to move both bills to the governor’s desk. If the House makes changes, the bills will come back to the Senate for more discussion, and possibly another filibuster.

In other legislative news, I want to update my colleagues in the pest control industry about Senate Bill 570. In 2021, the General Assembly passed legislation imposing new requirements on pesticide applicators. The measure, which was supported by industry professionals and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, required training and certification for pesticide applicators. Because these requirements were going to take some time to implement, the legislation did not take effect until January 2024. This year, I introduced SB 570 to extend the deadline for compliance until January 2025. This will allow these professionals a bit more time to get employees trained and certified. It’s my hope the bill will begin working through the legislative process in the coming weeks.

As always, it is an honor to serve the 6th Senatorial District. If my office can be service to you, please feel free to contact us at 573-751-2076. For information about my committee assignments or sponsored legislation, please visit my official Missouri Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Bernskoetter.