Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has reached an agreement with Seattle Children’s Hospital in which the institution will abandon all attempts to do business in Texas. Seattle Children’s appears to provide “gender transition” interventions to Texas children at its Seattle, Washington facility. When Texas children depart its facility, Seattle Children’s appears to transmit prescriptions for hormone disrupting drugs to children and pharmacies in Texas, potentially violating state law. Texas’s law known as SB 14 prohibits drug and surgical “gender transition” interventions for minors. SB 14 went into effect in September 2023.
In November 2023, Attorney General Paxton opened an investigation into Seattle Children’s Hospital. Instead of complying with requests for documents and additional information, Seattle Children’s sued Texas. Now, the institution has surrendered its position and agreed to cease transacting business in Texas by withdrawing its business registration.
“Seattle Children’s Hospital appeared to break Texas law and initially tried to evade accountability when investigated,” said Attorney General Paxton. “When we merely began asking questions, they decided to leave the State of Texas and forfeit the opportunity to do business here. Let this make our position clear: medical providers in Texas must abide by our laws. In Texas, we vigorously protect children from damaging, experimental ‘gender transition’ treatments that can have life-altering negative consequences.”
To read the agreement, click here.