By Liberty Counsel ——Bio and Archives--September 2, 2023
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AUSTIN, TEXAS – Yesterday, the Texas Supreme Court allowed the state’s new law banning harmful puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and mutilating surgeries for children to take effect during continued litigation.
The law, known as SB 14, was set to take effect today after it was enacted June 2, 2023, but a district court judge temporarily blocked it last month granting opponents of the law an emergency stay citing potential violations of the state constitution. However, state officials appealed the decision prompting the state’s High Court to deny the emergency stay and let the law take effect while the Court fully considers the appeal.
In addition to banning irreversible procedures, such as sterilization or removing health body parts, Texas’ law also bans the use of taxpayer dollars for these procedures and prevents health insurance plans from covering these costs as well. Under the law, doctors who commit violations can have their medical licenses revoked.
Yesterday’s ruling made Texas the largest state to have an effective ban in place for these procedures on minors. This ruling also follows a succession of decisions in recent months regarding these types of laws. The U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled on August 21, 2023, that Alabama can fully enforce its 2022 law after a lower court temporarily blocked the state from enforcing portions of the law pertaining to puberty blockers and hormones. In July 2023, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on two different occasions that the “Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act” in Tennessee and Kentucky could go into effect.
At least 22 states have enacted legislation protecting children from harmful and often irreversible medical mutilation.
Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “There is no constitutional right to mutilate children. Puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and mutilating surgeries are harmful and often irreversible. The Texas Supreme Court has rightly decided to let the state of Texas protect children from these horrible procedures that devastate many lives.”
For more information about state laws protecting against gender ideology, visit Liberty Counsel’s website here.
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Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.