Missouri Senate GOP backs bills on transgender children

By SUMMER BALLENTINE
Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The leader of Missouri’s state Senate says Republican senators are unified against letting transgender girls play on girls’ sports teams. Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden’s comments to reporters Thursday signal that restrictions on transgender student athletes have a good chance of passing this year. He also says Senate Republicans want to ban minors from getting gender-affirming surgery. Efforts to outlaw public drag performances appear to be less likely to advance. Rowden says lawmakers have “more important stuff to talk about” than drag shows.