Committee adopts substitute and approves bundled measures on gender-affirming care by 10-4

Chairman Christ moved that House Bills 35, 10801, 10308 and 1016 be voted “do pass” and the committee adopted a committee substitute that rolls the four measures together. By roll call, the committee voted 10 ayes and 4 nos to approve the House committee substitute and recommend the bills for passage.

The votes followed more than an hour of comments during the executive session portion of the hearing, with members debating whether the bills should limit medical treatments for transgender minors. Representative Fuchsia urged colleagues to consider testimony from transgender people and their families and said she would “defend their right to exist until my last breath.” Representative Wick said the bills would “criminalize doctors for following best practices” and argued that they would make medical professionals and teachers “unsafe” in Missouri. Representative Hovis said she supports the measures because she opposes providing “those chemicals” to minors and cited studies she said show higher suicide rates among children who proceed with medical transition.

The substitute adopted at the start of the session was described on the record as a roll-up of the four bills; the chair moved adoption of the substitute and then moved the committee substitute for the four bills be voted do pass. The clerk called the roll after discussion; the chair announced the committee’s action at the end of the vote.

Votes at a glance - House Bills 35, 10801, 10308 and 1016 (committee substitute adopted and HCS voted do pass): Passed by committee, 10 ayes, 4 nos. Motion moved by Chairman Christ; substitute described on the record as “rolling the bills together.” - House Bills 113, 6204 and 36 (committee substitute later considered in the same session): Committee later approved a separate House committee substitute for these bills by the same margin, 10 ayes to 4 nos (see transcript excerpt below).

Why it matters Committee members and public witnesses framed the debate around the balance between protecting children and preserving medical judgment. Opponents said the measures would remove medical decisions from doctors and parents and could penalize clinicians; supporters said the bills aim to limit certain medical interventions for minors. The committee’s favorable recommendation moves the consolidated measures toward further floor consideration under the Missouri legislative process.

What the record shows and what it does not The transcript shows the committee adopted a substitute described as combining multiple bills and then voted to recommend passage; it records member remarks for and against the measures and the 10–4 vote tally. The transcript does not include the final bill text in committee or any enacted statutory language; it does not show a floor vote or signature into law.

Provenance (selected excerpts from the committee transcript) The transcript excerpts below are verbatim passages from the committee record that introduce and conclude the executive session discussion and record the roll call. These excerpts were used to prepare this article.

- "Okay. With the quorum, we will now hold executive sessions on House Bill 35, 10 80 1, 10 30 8, and 10 16 sponsored by Representatives Billington, Baker, Gregg, and Sites respectively. I move that House Bills 35, 10 80 1, 10 30 8, and 10 16 be voted do pass. Any discussion?" (transcript segment beginning s=34.65)

- "To comment. Sure. Thank you Mr. Chair... I will defend their right to exist until my last breath because I love them." — Representative Fuchsia (comment during executive session) (transcript segment beginning s=55.62)

- "By your vote of 10 ayes, 4 nos, you have approved House Committee substitute for House Bill 35, 10 80 1, 10 30 8, and 10 16." (transcript segment beginning s=484.81998)

Ending The committee’s recommendation now appears in the record; next steps are determined by the House calendar and any subsequent floor or conference action. The transcript shows robust debate and a recorded committee vote but does not include final legislative enactment.