Federal judge halts ban on gender-altering procedures for Georgia children

ATLANTA, Ga. (WDEF) — A U.S. federal judge has issued an injunction, bringing back the option for children in Georgia to receive gender-altering procedures from healthcare providers.

Georgia’s Senate Bill 140 blocked access to hormone therapy for children.

But late Sunday evening, federal Judge Sarah E. Geraghty issued a preliminary injunction. This puts a temporary stop to this legislation.

This is due to an ongoing lawsuit, filed by four Georgia families and one organization. The pause will continue until this case is resolved.

Judge Geraghty’s order found “that it is “substantially likely” that the plaintiffs will be successful in permanently striking down the law as unconstitutional and prohibits the state from enforcing the ban on hormone therapy for the treatment of gender dysphoria in adolescents pending a decision on the merits in the case,” the Southern Poverty Law Center said.

The lawsuit, Emma Koe, et al. v. Caylee Noggle, et al. was filed on June 30.

Seven federal courts have blocked these legislative bans in the U.S., including in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky and Florida.