A federal judge in Alabama has decided to postpone the trial over the state’s ban on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender youth until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on a similar case from Tennessee. Judge Liles C. Burke stated that it would be unwise to invest judicial resources in deciding the case without further guidance from the Supreme Court. The trial, originally scheduled for October, will be delayed until after the Supreme Court issues its decision.
Alabama’s ban, in effect since last year, will remain in place until the trial is rescheduled. The U.S. Supreme Court recently announced it will hear arguments on state bans on transition treatments for transgender youth, including the Tennessee law that also restricts puberty blockers and hormone therapy. This case will be heard in the fall.
The Alabama law, signed by Governor Kay Ivey in 2022, makes it a felony for doctors to treat transgender individuals under 19 with puberty blockers or other medical procedures. Four families with transgender children challenged the law as unconstitutional, with the U.S. Department of Justice joining their lawsuit.
Despite a temporary restraining order issued by Burke last year, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the injunction, allowing Alabama to enforce the ban. While the Justice Department and the families requested a stay, the Alabama attorney general’s office urged Burke to continue with the case.
The outcome of the upcoming Supreme Court decision will likely impact the Alabama trial and the future of transgender healthcare laws across the country.
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