Attorney General Clark and Coalition Win Lawsuit Protecting Gender-Affirming Care

Court Issues Final Written Order

Attorney General Charity Clark and a coalition of 22 states secured a federal court order blocking an unlawful attempt by the Trump Administration to threaten healthcare providers that provide care for youth with gender dysphoria. A federal district court issued a written opinion and judgment, granting the plaintiff states' summary judgment motion.

"This decision is a victory in our ongoing fight for bodily autonomy and the rights of transgender youth," said Attorney General Clark. "We will continue to fight to ensure that gender-affirming care remains safe, effective, and protected."

On December 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a declaration asserting that certain forms of gender-affirming care are "unsafe and ineffective." In the declaration, Secretary Kennedy attempted to give HHS the power to exclude healthcare providers from Medicare and Medicaid programs simply for providing care for transgender adolescents.

Attorney General Clark and the coalition immediately sued in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, arguing that Secretary Kennedy lacked the legal authority to issue the declaration; that HHS's actions were arbitrary and capricious; and that the agency failed to adhere to the necessary procedural requirements for notice-and-comment rulemaking.

At the end of a summary judgment hearing last month, a federal judge agreed with the states and issued an oral ruling blocking the federal government's threats. The written opinion and judgment, issued Saturday, April 18, effectuate that prior ruling, and protect healthcare providers and hospitals from the potentially destabilizing effects of HHS's unlawful actions.

Joining Attorney General Clark in this lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai'i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, and the governor of Pennsylvania.

A copy of the court's order is available by request.

CONTACT: Amelia Vath, Senior Advisor to the Attorney General, 802-828-3171