Court upholds Texas' gender-affirming care ban
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The Texas Supreme Court has upheld the state's ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
Driving the news: The all-Republican court ruled Friday that the Texas Legislature made a "permissible, rational policy choice to limit the types of available medical procedures for children."
- Senate Bill 14 has been in effect since September.
Why it matters: The Supreme Court's decision is a big win for Texas lawmakers who have long sought to trim the rights of transgender people.
Catch up quick: Families, medical providers and LGBTQ+ organizations sued the state in July 2023, alleging that SB 14 violates the state's constitution.
Friction point: The parents who filed the lawsuit before the law took effect said the law discriminates against their children and violates their right to make decisions about their children's health.
State of care: Texas law prohibits physicians from providing minors hormone therapies, puberty blockers and transition surgeries. The state's health plans are also prohibited from issuing reimbursements for the treatments.
- Children who had already started the medications that were later banned had to be weaned off in a "medically appropriate" manner.
What's next: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said on X that his office will "use every tool at our disposal to ensure that doctors and medical institutions follow the law."
- The ACLU of Texas said it will continue "fighting until our trans youth have the health care they deserve and our state is a welcoming place to all."
Meanwhile: The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review a case challenging Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The U.S. Justice Department argues the ban violates the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause.
- The outcome could have implications in Texas and other states with similar bans.