March 31 – April 3
TL/DR: The 2-Minute Read
Actions to Take Right Now
- Share Your Story About Social Transitioning: Help us equip champion Senators to hold the line on SB 1085 by sharing how social transitioning positively impacted your life, either as an adult or youth.
- Donate or Mail in Gas Cards: With rising gas prices, we’re asking you to support those that use their voices in Jefferson City by mailing in gas cards that we can hand out to testifiers to offset that expense. You can find our mailing address on our website. You’re also able to make a donation for us to purchase those gas card.
Important Updates to Know
- There are only six weeks left in session — and this week is a short week as the Capitol is closed on Monday in observance of Easter.
- SB 1085 (Nicola) is first on the Senate perfection calendar, so we’re preparing for debate whenever the Senate revisits the calendar. As a reminder, this bill bans social transition for trans youth in schools and forces teachers to police gender expression and threatens their jobs.
- HB 2536 (Laubinger) has yet to be referred to the House calendar, so we don’t expect this bill to come up for debate in the House for now. We’re keeping an eye on it and talking with lawmakers about the dangers this bill poses to public safety for trans people.
A Deeper Dive of This Week
We’re entering the final stretch of session. With only six weeks remaining —and a shortened week due to the Easter holiday — leadership will be making faster, more strategic decisions about what gets floor time. Harmful bills can move quickly in this window. We have to be just as ready.
We’re keeping a close eye on two bills that were tee’d up this last week.
How the Senate Process Works
In the Senate, bills must be voted on by committee and placed on the formal calendar in order to be brought up for perfection and final vote. The formal calendar is comprised of the perfection calendar (bills are debated in order, amended on the floor, and voted on for perfection — initial approval) along with the House and Senate bills on third reading calendar (perfected bills that are reprinted and placed here for final passage). If bills are not going to be immediately voted on, they are laid over onto the informal calendar. Bills from the informal calendar can be brought back up in any order for further debate.
SB 1085 (Nicola): A Direct Attack on Trans Youth
SB 1085 (Nicola) was referred to the Senate Perfection Calendar this past Wednesday morning. As the day progressed, the Senate moved through the perfection calendar, debating the handful of bills ahead of SB 1085 before adjourning for the evening. Currently, this bill is first up on that calendar, so we are preparing for it to be debated on the floor whenever the Senate returns to the Perfection Calendar.
Nicola’s bill is a dangerous anti-trans bill absurdly attempting to ban social transition of trans youth. Social transition refers to the physical expression of one’s appearance: like which clothes you wear, how you cut your hair, what name or nickname you prefer going by, etc. The bill forces teachers to police gender stereotypes of their students, ensuring student names, appearances, and behaviors reflect each student’s assigned sex at birth, and any perception of a student outside of the stereotype gives cause to fire the teacher. This bill takes away parental rights and increases politicians’ involvement in schools.
Here’s what you can do though. We are collecting stories so that our champion Senators can hold the line when this bill comes up by sharing stories of how important it is for trans Missourians to explore their identity through their appearance, a key element allowing children to feel safe and comfortable at school. We need you to share your stories and of those you love in how social transitioning helped you.
HB 2536 (Laubinger): Watching for Movement
And as we mentioned in last week’s update, HB 2536 (Laubinger) was voted out of the House Rules – Administration committee. We don’t necessarily expect this bill to come up for debate in the House, yet, as it still has to be referred from committee to the House calendar. We are keeping an eye on this bill and talking with lawmakers about the dangers this bill poses to public safety for trans people.
Once again, this is one of the most egregious bills attempting to severely restrict the ability of trans and gender expansive Missourians to exist in public life by prohibiting them from using sex segregated spaces in daily life from restrooms to housing shelters. We now wait for it to be referred to the House, which will determine if there is appetite for a floor debate.
