An Indiana law protecting vulnerable children from so-called “gender-affirming” care will take effect following a ruling from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
According to The Hill, the court issued a stay on Tuesday, overturning a decision from June that blocked the law from taking effect.
The law, S.B. 480, prohibits health care providers from administering puberty blockers, hormone therapy treatments and sex reassignment surgery on children. The bill was signed into law in April 2023.
Shortly after, the law was challenged before it could go into effect July 1 (via PBS):
The law was slated to go into effect on July 1, 2023. But the month before, U.S. District Court Judge James Patrick Hanlon issued an injunction preventing most of it from taking effect. Hanlon blocked the state from prohibiting minors’ access to hormone therapies and puberty blockers, but allowed the law’s prohibition on gender-affirming surgeries to take effect.
Hanlon’s order also blocked provisions that would prohibit Indiana doctors from communicating with out-of-state doctors about gender-affirming care for their patients younger than 18.
The three-judge appeals court panel was composed of two judges appointed by Republican presidents. The decision was released this week, and an opinion will be released at a later date.
Predictably, left-wing advocacy groups voiced their disappointment with the decision.
“This ruling is beyond disappointing and a heartbreaking development for thousands of transgender youth, their doctors, and their families,” the American Civil Liberties Union wrote in a statement. The ACLU brought forward the lawsuit on behalf of four “transgender” youths in the state.
“As we and our clients consider our next steps, we want all the transgender youth of Indiana to know this fight is far from over and we will continue to challenge this law until it is permanently defeated and Indiana is made a safer place to raise every family,” they added.
Many other states have laws on the books protecting children from this harmful “care.” Earlier this year, Louisiana enacted similar laws.
According to PBS, the state’s “Republican-dominated” legislature overturned a veto on the legislation by then-outgoing Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards. Reportedly, the state legislature held a one-day veto session, the third time one has been held since 1974. And, it marked the second time lawmakers successfully overrode the governor. Many Democrats sided with Republicans to override the veto.