Seattle Children’s Hospital system filed a lawsuit against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in an attempt to block a subpoena requesting patient records to see if the hospital is illegally providing transgender hormones to Texas minors.
Paxton opened an investigation into the hospital and demanded patient records on Nov. 17 to determine whether or not the hospital was breaking Texas law, which bans minors from getting puberty blockers, hormone therapy and transgender surgeries, according to the lawsuit filed on Dec. 7. In response, Seattle Children’s Hospital filed a petition arguing that Paxton’s demands violate Washington state’s Shield Law, which protects healthcare providers from being prosecuted for performing abortions for patients traveling out of state. (RELATED: Parents Sue Blue State School District For ‘Intentionally’ Transitioning Daughter Without Their Consent)
“Furthermore, the Demands are an unconstitutional attempt to investigate and chill potential travel by Texas residents to obtain healthcare in another state,” the lawsuit reads.
LGBTQ rights supporters gather at the Texas State Capitol to protest state Republican-led efforts to pass legislation that would restrict the participation of transgender student-athletes on the first day of the 87th Legislature’s third special session on September 20, 2021, in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tamir Kalifa/Getty Images)
Paxton’s subpoena stated that the attorney general’s office was investigating Seattle Children’s Hospital for “misrepresentations” and alleged violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, which protects consumers against “misleading and deceptive business practices, according to the lawsuit. The hospital system also argued that Paxton was outside of his jurisdiction and that “Seattle Children’s does not have ‘substantial contacts’ with Texas that would establish general jurisdiction here.”
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas signed the law in June banning any doctor from providing transgender surgeries to minors, such as a phalloplasty and vaginoplasty, as well as hormones and puberty blockers, according to the legislation. The law also gives Paxton’s office the ability to “restrain or enjoin the person from committing, continuing to commit, or repeating the violation” if they believe a physician is violating the law.
In August, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the ban would be allowed to take effect while a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union trying to halt enforcement of the law played out in the courts.
Paxton’s office and the hospital system did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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