A Montana district court judge has issued a ruling that prevents the state from enforcing its ban on gender-affirming health care for transgender minors. This decision aligns with a growing trend where court orders have halted similar bans in several Republican-led states.
The lawsuit, filed in Missoula County by two transgender minors, their parents, and two pediatric endocrinologists in May, contested Montana’s Senate Bill 99. It argued that the law would infringe upon their rights as per the state constitution if implemented. District Judge Jason Marks granted a preliminary injunction on Wednesday.
In his opinion, he stated that Senate Bill 99 is unlikely to withstand constitutional scrutiny and emphasized that denying access to gender-affirming care could have adverse effects on the mental and physical health of gender dysphoric minors.