Texas judge blocks state's upcoming ban on access to puberty blockers, hormone therapy for trans kids
AUSTIN (CBSNewsTexas.com) - A Texas judge has blocked Senate Bill 14, which bans transgender people younger than 18 from accessing puberty blockers and hormone therapy.
Texas lawmakers passed the bill earlier this year and it's scheduled to go into effect next week. But, a group of families and physicians sued the state this summer in hopes of blocking SB 14.
Some medical groups have said access to care is vital to patients' mental health. Trans Texans and LGBTQ+ advocates have said SB 14 one of the most consequential pieces of legislation in this year's legislative session.
Under SB 14, children and teens already accessing treatments would be "weaned off" in a "medically appropriate" manner, the bill states. It also bans transition-related surgeries, though those are rarely performed on minors. Getting access to the treatments, advocates said, is time intensive and requires multiple medical evaluations. Parents are reportedly included in decisions about what treatments, if any, are best for individual children.
Conversely, those in favor of SB 14 have pushed back against the science and research behind transition-related care.
The Texas Attorney General's office was expected to quickly file an appeal to let the law take effect. More than 20 states have adopted laws to ban some gender-affirming medical care for minors.