Judge blocks Texas AG from requiring info on transgender kids receiving gender transition treatment

A Texas judge temporarily blocked state Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, from requiring an LGBTQ+ advocacy group to provide information about transgender children receiving gender transition treatment.

The ruling on Friday came a day after PFLAG National challenged Paxton’s office in court to prevent it from collecting the information.

Travis County District Court Judge Maria Cantú Hexsel said providing the information would harm PFLAG and its members in several ways, including violating their rights of free speech, association and protection from unreasonable searches.

The judge also said it would be a “gross invasion” of privacy to force the group to hand over the information to Paxton.

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A hearing was scheduled for March 25 to allow Paxton’s office an opportunity to make its case as to why Friday’s order should not be maintained.

Paxton’s office had made a request last month for “documents and communications” about PFLAG CEO Brian Bond’s statement to court last year in which he said members were creating contingency plans after the state imposed a ban on gender transition treatment for minors.

The attorney general’s office said in a statement Thursday that the information is highly relevant to investigations into whether medical providers are committing insurance fraud to bypass the ban.

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The American Civil Liberties Union, representing FPLAG in court, said it will seek a permanent block on Paxton’s request “so that PFLAG can continue supporting its Texas members with transgender youth in doing what all loving parents do: supporting and caring for their children.”

PFLAG and Texas have previously been involved in court battles, including in 2022, when the state adopted a policy of investigating instances of gender transition treatment for children as child abuse cases.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.