District Judge Amy Clark Meachum ruled Friday, March 11, 2022 that providing gender-affirming care is not a reason for the state to investigate a family for child abuse, and halted all such investigations. The ruling came after a day of arguments about Governor Greg Abbott’s directive to the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS); since the directive, the state of Texas has opened investigations into nine families.
The injunction stops the state from investigating anyone for child abuse based solely on the allegation that they provided gender-affirming medical treatment. It also stops anyone from being prosecuted for child abuse for providing gender-affirming care and lifts the mandatory reporting requirements laid out in the directive.
Judge Meachum said there is a “substantial likelihood” that lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal, who filed this lawsuit, will prevail in getting Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive for such investigations permanently overturned, calling his actions “beyond the scope of his duty and unconstitutional.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton tweeted on Friday that his office would appeal the decision. Read more here.