Global Courant 2023-05-26 00:44:05
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey vowed Wednesday to take “all necessary legal action” against Kansas City if the police department fails to enforce a law banning transgender transition procedures for minors.
Bailey, a Republican, said in a letter to the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners that the board has a constitutional duty to enforce the law, which was passed by the Missouri legislature this month. Republican Governor Mike Parson has not yet signed the bill, but is expected to do so.
The letter comes after the Kansas City Council passed a resolution on May 11 designating the city as an LGBTQ+ haven. The resolution said the city will not prosecute or fine any person or organization seeking, providing, receiving or assisting gender-affirming care, such as puberty blockers, hormones or surgery.
The city also said that if the state passes a law imposing criminal or civil penalties, fines or professional penalties in such cases, staff in Missouri’s largest city will make enforcement of those requirements “their lowest priority.”
Kansas City, a Democratic stronghold in a largely Republican state, is currently the only city in Missouri that does not have police control. Instead, the Board of Police Commissioners, consisting of the mayor and four members appointed by the governor, oversees the department.
MISSOURI ADVOCATE GENERAL WANTS TO END GENDER TRANSITION PROCEDURES FOR MINORS WHICH THEY CALL ‘DANGEROUS’
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Wednesday urged the Kansas City Police Department to enforce the law restricting transgender care.
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Bailey said that because the board is controlled by the state, following the city council’s resolution would violate the board’s legal duties. He also said state law rules out conflicting local ordinances.
“It is the constitutional duty of the council to enforce the law and ensure that children are protected from these dangerous, experimental gender transition interventions,” Bailey wrote. “As Missouri’s top legal officer, I will take all legal action necessary against the city to ensure that our state laws are enforced.”
Earlier this week, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said in a statement that the law is outside the jurisdiction of the police because the provisions “do not address criminal conduct, but seek enforcement through medical licensing and civil litigation.”
“I want to assure Kansas City that we will continue to serve all members of the community equitably, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation,” said Graves.
Bailey had tried to introduce an emergency rule in April that would require adults and minors to undergo more than a year of therapy and meet other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatments, such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery. He withdrew the rule after lawmakers passed the law banning transgender care for minors.
