On Monday, a judge in Austin once more forbade the state from obtaining information about trans children from the national LGBTQ+ firm PFLAG.
The Texas Attorney General’s Office and Attorney General Ken Paxton were granted a temporary order by Judge Amy Clark Meachum from Travis County’s 201st Civil District judge.
One of the organizations that represents PFLAG in court is Lambda Legal. Senior Counsel Paul Castillo said he “did not expect a ruling from the bench today,” but he is grateful that the court recognized our urgency in requesting injunctive relief.
According to him, “It was crucial for PFLAG to express how destructive these demands were to their mission, which is to provide a safe environment and support.”
PFLAG received a notice in February to hand over any documents involving “emergency plans and/or other avenues to maintain care” for trans children, along with “recommendations, referrals and/or lists” of health providers treating trans youth.
Any information regarding trans youth and their health services has been requested from hospitals, clinics, and other organizations by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas (OAG). In an affidavit, Seattle Children’s Hospital claimed in December 2023 that the hospital does not treat any Texas patients and that the inquiry was a frightful attempt to dissuade Texans from seeking treatment in other states.
Senate Bill 14, a law passed following last year’s legislative session that prohibits gender-affirming treatment for transgender Texans under the age of 18, is what the OAG seeks.
PFLAG was granted a temporary restraining order earlier this month. As the judges determine the authenticity of the state’s request, Monday’s decision grants a temporary injunction.
Castillo said the state’s request has already been harmful to PFLAG’s chapters in Texas.
Since the demands have been made, he said, “Participation and attendance at those meetings have decreased.” Meetings are being moved from public libraries to private homes by volunteer group leaders. Parents and families are concerned that the Office of the Attorney General is collecting information about these transgender and non-binary young people in Texas, so there is reluctance to provide safe and sign-in information to people.
According to Castillo, requests for information are part of a larger scheme to “target transgender youth and their families for political reasons.”
He said, “PFLAG has been very courageous, and it continues to stand up on behalf of PFLAG members all over Texas who are still being targeted and harassed by the state of Texas and the attorney general.”
A trial on the case’s merits is scheduled for June 10. Although it’s not clear whether the state may challenge the decision, it has done so in past Texas cases involving trans children and their families. KERA has reached out to the OAG for comment, but they have yet to respond.
Elena Rivera is KERA’s health writer. Got a tip? Email Elena at [email protected].
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