JEFFERSON CITY — A bill that aims to stop transgender conversation in classrooms had a contentious hearing Tuesday in the Senate Education Committee.

Senate Bill 1085, sponsored by Sen. Joe Nicola, R-Grain Valley, would introduce a new set of rules that public school districts and staff members will be required to follow if a student shares they are going through a social gender transition such as using preferred pronouns.

If passed, the bill also would bar school educators and staff from speaking about, or giving presentations of, a gender transition.

Under the bill, if a student were to have a discussion with a teacher on the topic of gender transition, that teacher is not allowed to have that conversation and is required to tell the principal of the school within 24 hours. The principal is then required to notify the parents of that student within 72 hours.

The legislation also covers school counselors. If a student were to confide in a counselor about this topic, relating to home life or not, then the same procedure would follow.

Opponents said each school district should be in charge of making their own policy for their students.

“School policy is developed at the district level because each community is supposed to know what’s best for their families,” said Amy Hammerman, state policy advocate for The National Council of Jewish Women.

The bill also requires that if a staff member knowingly violates the law, the school district is required to terminate that employee. The state is then required to revoke that teacher’s teaching license.

“Our teachers want to focus on the children learning. They don’t want to focus policing what the students are wearing and what their names are,” Hammerman said

The hearing featured strident arguments from both opponents and proponents of the bill.

Nicola said the reason he proposed the bill is because he thinks schools shouldn’t be allowed to encourage students through a social transition.

“This bill does not silence any child. It is simply asking the adults in the room to not place the child onto an on-ramp where we know that the pathway forward is simply to harm their bodies,” said Jamie Reed, co-executive director of the LGB Courage Coalition, formerly the LGBT Courage Coalition.

During the two-hour discussion of the bill, Senate committee members grew displeased at how the committee was handling the conversations about gender transition.

“I would love just to spend one hearing talking about the issues that are really impacting the kids, and teachers today. … What we can do to improve reading, writing and arithmetic for kids across the state,” said Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City, a former teacher.

A heated exchange broke out between committee chair Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, and Sen. Stephen Webber, D-Columbia, during witness testimonies.

“This is the most egregious thing I’ve ever seen,” Webber said.

“You’re the one being disrespectful. ... I’m disappointed in your actions senator,” Brattin replied.

“This committee has become an absolute joke,” Nurrenbern complained during one back-and-forth with Brattin.