Indiana’s ban on transition care for minors can take effect, appeals court rules

By Celina Tebor, CNN

(CNN) — Indiana’s ban on transition care for minors can take effect, an appeals court ruled Tuesday, issuing a stay on the district court’s ruling that blocked parts of the law last summer.

The ruling from the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago ordered the preliminary injunction from the district court in June 2023 to be stayed – meaning the law will take effect immediately.

The law, known as SEA 480, which Indiana’s Republican-controlled legislature passed last year, prohibits physicians from providing minors with treatments such as puberty blocking medication, hormone therapy and surgery intended to help transition genders.

The American Civil Liberties Union sued to stop the law shortly after Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the measure in April of last year. In a statement Tuesday, the ACLU and ACLU of Indiana said the appeals court’s ruling “is beyond disappointing and a heartbreaking development for thousands of transgender youth, their doctors, and their families.”

“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,” the statement continued.

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, a Republican, applauded the ruling in an audio statement shared with CNN.

“Following the court’s order yesterday, Indiana’s common-sense law is now enforceable again,” Rokita said. “Meaning that we’re going to be banning dangerous and irreversible gender transition procedures for minors. That’s only common sense. We are proud to win this fight against the radicals who continue pushing this horrific practice on our most precious gift: our children, simply for their own ideological and financial reasons.”

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