Healthcare

Texas Sues Biden Admin Over New Rule Allowing Minors To Receive Contraceptives Without Parental Approval

A pro-abortion protester at the March for Life heckled a crowd of pro-life marchers with a bullhorn Friday in Washington, D.C. Courtesy of the DCNF

Texas filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration for forcing healthcare providers to provide contraceptives to minors, according to a Thursday press release.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for allegedly illegally violating Texas parental consent laws in using Title X of the Public Health Service Act to use grants to give minors access to contraceptives, according to the press release. The Title X rule adopted by the Biden administration would prohibit healthcare providers that receive federal funding from notifying parents about their child getting contraceptives.

“By attempting to force Texas healthcare providers to offer contraceptives to children without parental consent, the Biden Administration continues to prove they will do anything to implement their extremist agenda—even undermine the Constitution and violate the law,” Paxton said in the press release. “Federal courts have already shut down their previous attack on parental rights, and I will ensure that we stop them once again.”

Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues Biden Administration Over Rule Forcing Health Entities to Provide Contraceptives To Minors Without Parental Consent, in Violation of State Law: https://t.co/mrB1sJsO6f

— Texas Attorney General (@TXAG) July 25, 2024

Texas law states that parents must consent to their child’s medical care, according to Texas Family Code. The Title X rule would break Texas law by not allowing federally-funded healthcare providers to inform the parents of their child’s decision to get contraceptives, according to court filings.

Texas sued the HHS in June for allegedly forcing healthcare providers to perform transgender procedures on children. Paxton alleged that the rule was unconstitutional in overriding state law which prohibited transgender procedures for minors.

The defendants are listed as HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine and Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Office of Population Affairs Swafford Marcella, as well as Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, the HHS, and the United States.

Levine pressured the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) to not include age guidelines for transgender surgeries in its Standards of Care 8 (SOC-8) guidelines. WPATH also avoided “evidence-based” review, concerned that it would show “little or no evidence” supporting the guidelines.

Texas seeks to block the Title X rule form being enforced, as well as prohibiting the federal funding of any Title X projects that conflict with Texas’ parental consent laws.

The HHS did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

Featured image. Courtesy of the DCNF