I’m pleased to report the Senate has perfected two pieces of legislation to further safeguard Missouri children.

The first measure, Senate Bill 39, is similar to a proposal I sponsored titled the Save Women’s Sports Act and bans biological males from playing in female sports. Women have fought long and hard for equality and deserve the right to compete on fair, level playing fields. As a father of two daughters who are active in sports, I am thankful they will be able to compete without being forced into unfair contests.

The Senate also passed the Save Adolescents from Experimentation Act, or SAFE Act, on March 22, banning gender transition surgeries and hormonal treatments on children under the age of 18. Throughout the debate on this bill, we heard accusations saying children as young as 9-years-old have been receiving experimental gender transitioning procedures, such as hormones, puberty blockers and even surgery.

Allegations of abuse and mistreatment of children from a whistleblower at Washington University’s Transgender Center fueled even more urgency for passing Senate Bill 49. Children are incapable of making health care decisions that could potentially have dangerous, lifelong side effects, so I’m hopeful this bill will pass in the House and be signed into law.

My proposal to close a loophole and modify the rulemaking authority of the Department of Health and Senior Services, Senate Bill 168, passed out of committee on March 20.

I know from personal experience how shutdown orders imposed by local county leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic devastated small businesses. My restaurant barely survived the heavy-handed local health orders, but many other businesses weren’t as fortunate. I vowed I would do everything in my power to ensure businesses aren’t subjected to unnecessary and unjustified rules, and advancing SB 168 is a good start.