SEATTLE HOSPITAL WON'T TURN OVER GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE RECORDS IN LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT WITH TEXAS
Seattle Hospital Won't Turn Over Gender-affirming Care Records in Lawsuit Settlement With Texas
April 23rd, 03AM April 23rd, 03AMDALLAS (AP) —
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtonis dropping a request for a Seattle hospital to hand over records regarding
gender-affirming treatmentpotentially given to children from Texas as part of a lawsuit settlement announced Monday.
Seattle Children's Hospital
filed the lawsuitagainst Paxton's office in December in response to the Republican appearing to go beyond state borders to investigate transgender health care. Paxton, a staunch conservative who has helped drive GOP efforts that target the rights of trans people, sent
similar letters to Texas hospitalslast year.
The Seattle hospital said in a statement that it had "successfully fought" the "overreaching demands to obtain confidential patient information." A judge in Austin dismissed the lawsuit Friday, saying the parties had settled their dispute.
Texas is among states that have
enacted laws restricting or banninggender-affirming medical care for transgender minors.
The hospital's lawsuit included a copy of the letter from Paxton's office, which among other requests asked the hospital to produce records identifying medication given to children who live in Texas; the number of Texas children who received treatment; and documents that identified the "standard protocol or guidance" used for treatment.
As part of the settlement, according to court records, the parties agreed that Seattle Children's Hospital would withdraw its registration to transact business in Texas. But a hospital spokesperson said in a statement that they don't operate health care facilities or provide gender-affirming care in Texas.
In court records, the hospital had previously stated that it had a "limited number" of people who work remotely and live in Texas but that none were involved in gender-affirming care. It also said it did not advertise its services in Texas.
"When we merely began asking questions, they decided to leave the State of Texas and forfeit the opportunity to do business here," Paxton said in a news release Monday. He said Texas will "vigorously protect" children from gender-affirming treatment that he called "damaging."
The Texas law prevents transgender minors from accessing hormone therapies, puberty blockers and transition surgeries, even though medical experts say such surgical procedures are rarely performed on children.
In Washington,
Democratic Gov. Jay Insleehas signed
a lawthat aims to protects minors seeking gender-affirming care there, part of
a wave of legislation in Democratic-led statesintended to give refuge to those seeking gender-affirming treatment.
2024-04-23T00:47:13Z dg43tfdfdgfd