On Wednesday, June 7, in an effort to protect the integrity of female sports and Missouri children from potentially harmful experimental surgeries and treatment, Governor Mike Parson signed Senate Bill (SB) 39 and SB 49 into law.

*We support everyone's right to his or her own pursuit of happiness - Governor mike parson*

SB 39 prohibits educational institutions from allowing biological male students from participating on sports teams designated for biological females. This law applies to elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education institutions, including private schools, public school districts, public charter schools, public colleges and universities, and private colleges and universities.

"We appreciate Senator Holly Rehder for leading on this issue and fighting for women and girls across the state. We, along with the vast majority of the General Assembly, agree that women and girls deserve fair sports competition without intrusion from biological men," Governor Parson said. "Women and girls deserve and have fought for an equal opportunity to succeed, and with this legislation today, we stand up to the nonsense and stand with them as they take back their sport competitions. In Missouri, we support real fairness, not injustice disguised as social righteousness."

SB 49 establishes the Missouri Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act. The SAFE Act prohibits health care providers from performing gender transition surgeries or prescribing hormones or drugs for the purposes of gender transition to Missouri children under the age of 18.

"We support everyone's right to his or her own pursuit of happiness; however, we must protect children from making life-altering decisions that they could come to regret in adulthood once they have physically and emotionally matured," Governor Parson said. "We thank Senator Mike Moon for working to pass SB 49 to protect Missouri children from harmful, irreversible treatments and procedures. These decisions have permanent consequences for life and should not be made by impressionable children who may be in crisis or influenced by the political persuasions of others."

The SAFE Act also bars MO HealthNet, Missouri's Medicaid program, from providing payment for gender transition surgeries, cross-sex hormones, or puberty-blocking drugs for the purpose of gender transition. Additionally, health care services provided to incarcerated individuals in Missouri prisons, jails, and correction centers will not include elective gender transition surgeries.

The above provisions ensure Missouri taxpayer dollars are not spent on elective gender transition procedures.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story