The Texas Office of the Attorney General was blocked from demanding information from PFLAG, a nonprofit supporting families of LGBTQ individuals, including transgender youths seeking care. The temporary injunction issued by Travis County District Court Judge Amy Clark Meachum allows PFLAG to keep information such as identities confidential. The Attorney General had demanded documents and information related to PFLAG’s support for families with transgender children as part of an investigation into medical providers offering gender-affirming care to minors in violation of Senate Bill 14, which banned such treatment.
PFLAG filed a lawsuit on Feb. 28 seeking protection for its members’ privacy following the demands for information from Paxton’s office. The Attorney General’s office responded to the lawsuit by stating that PFLAG’s information was relevant to its investigation into potential insurance fraud by medical providers circumventing SB 14. A temporary restraining order was secured on March 1 with the help of Lambda Legal, the ACLU, and the Transgender Law Center, and the injunction was issued on March 25, prohibiting the Attorney General from obtaining PFLAG’s information. The court ruling allows PFLAG and its members to advocate for each other without fear of retaliation or intimidation.
Meachum wrote that there is a strong likelihood that PFLAG will prevail after a trial, which is scheduled to start on June 10. The legal victory for PFLAG is part of ongoing efforts in Texas to restrict access to transition-related care for minors. In September, the Texas Supreme Court allowed a law banning gender-affirming care for minors to take effect, and in December, Paxton requested records from a Seattle hospital regarding gender-affirming treatment given to children from Texas. The injunction issued by Meachum protects PFLAG’s members’ privacy and allows them to continue providing support to families with transgender children.
The Texas Office of the Attorney General did not immediately respond to the injunction and the demand for information from PFLAG. The court ruling provides significant protection for PFLAG and its members, allowing them to advocate without fear of repercussions from the Attorney General’s office. PFLAG CEO Brian K. Bond praised the court for reaffirming that the Attorney General cannot demand private information from the organization. The legal battle between PFLAG and the Attorney General’s office is part of broader efforts in Texas to restrict access to gender-affirming care for minors and investigate medical providers offering such treatment.
The lawsuit filed by PFLAG sought relief to protect its members’ privacy and prevent the Attorney General’s office from obtaining sensitive information related to their work supporting families with transgender children. The Attorney General’s office claimed that PFLAG’s information was essential to its investigation into potential insurance fraud by medical providers violating SB 14. The temporary restraining order and subsequent injunction secured by PFLAG and its legal partners prevent the Attorney General from accessing the organization’s private information and intimidating its members. The court ruling allows PFLAG to continue advocating for families with transgender children and maintaining the confidentiality of its members seeking gender-affirming care.
