LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas on Wednesday sued the federal government in Lubbock, challenging a privacy law that the state said is meant to stop enforcement of abortion laws and restrictions on gender change procedures for minors.
The lawsuit filed against the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) asked a U.S. District Judge to overturn the privacy rule and stop federal officials from enforcing it.
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The HHS published the 2024 Privacy Rule on April 26. The rule, among other things, would prevent hospitals from handing over information to the state for criminal investigations related reproductive healthcare. The HHS has previously said the new rule is a response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs, which overturned Roe v. Wade.
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A federal complaint filed by the State of Texas stated reproductive healthcare is “clearly” meant to include abortion, hormone and drug therapy for gender dysphoria and surgical procedures related to gender dysphoria and “gender experimentation.”