Missouri GOP Shifts Focus from LGBTQ+ to Childcare and Education

After a year of controversial laws, Republican leaders pivot to address pressing concerns affecting Missouri’s children.

Missouri's Republican legislators have declared a shift in focus from LGBTQ+ issues to childcare and education policies for the upcoming legislative session.
Last year, the Missouri legislature enacted two significant transgender-related laws, which faced considerable opposition.
Proposals that would have continued these stringent measures, including criminalizing public drag shows and limiting access to certain library books, are now taking a back seat.
Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden and House Majority Floor Leader Jonathan Patterson, both Republicans, have expressed a focus on issues like childcare expansion and educational opportunities.
The Republican leadership is still considering measures to make amending the state’s constitution more challenging, joining a broader trend in other Republican-led states.