SB 598 - This act establishes the "Missouri Child and Adolescent Protection (MCAP) Act". Under this act, no physician or other health care provider shall knowingly provide gender transition procedures to any minor and shall not refer a minor to any health care provider for such procedures. Gender transition procedures shall include medical or surgical services, including drugs and hormones, and shall not include services to treat individuals diagnosed with a disorder of sex development or injury. No public funds, including MO HealthNet funds, shall be used to provide gender transition services to minors. A violation of the provisions of this act shall be considered unprofessional conduct, and shall be grounds for a cause of action against the physician or health care provider, as described in the act. The Attorney General may enforce compliance with the provisions of this act. This act shall not apply to the provision of cross-sex hormones to any minor who was prescribed such before January 1, 2024, to treat an inconsistency between the individual's biological sex and the individual's perceived gender or perceived sex. Additionally, the provisions of this act shall not become effective until January 1, 2024. Provisions of this act are substantially similar to HB 916 (2023) and similar to SB 390 (2023), SB 49 (2023), SB 236 (2023), SCS/SB 843 (2022), SB 164 (2023), SB 442 (2021), HB 2210 (2020), provisions in SB 848 (2020), SB 842 (2020), HB 1721 (2020), and HB 2051 (2020). SARAH HASKINS
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