Attorney General
Here's a look at documents from state attorneys general
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Md. A.G. Brown Wins Lawsuit Protecting Gender-Affirming Care
BALTIMORE, Maryland, April 21 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on April 20, 2026:
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Attorney General Brown Wins Lawsuit Protecting Gender-Affirming Care
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and a coalition of 22 states today secured a federal court order blocking an unlawful attempt by the Trump administration to threaten healthcare providers that provide care for youth with gender dysphoria. A federal district court issued a written opinion and judgment, granting the plaintiff states' summary judgment motion.
"Today's ruling is a victory for
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, April 21 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on April 20, 2026:
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Attorney General Brown Wins Lawsuit Protecting Gender-Affirming Care
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and a coalition of 22 states today secured a federal court order blocking an unlawful attempt by the Trump administration to threaten healthcare providers that provide care for youth with gender dysphoria. A federal district court issued a written opinion and judgment, granting the plaintiff states' summary judgment motion.
"Today's ruling is a victory forevery young Marylander, all of whom deserve access to the medical care their doctor recommends that is free from political interference," said Attorney General Brown. "We will never stop standing up for the health and dignity of transgender youth and the providers who serve them."
On December 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a declaration asserting that certain forms of gender-affirming care are "unsafe and ineffective." In the declaration, Secretary Kennedy attempted to give HHS the power to exclude healthcare providers from Medicare and Medicaid programs simply for providing care for transgender adolescents.
Attorney General Brown and the coalition immediately sued in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, arguing that Secretary Kennedy lacked the legal authority to issue the declaration, that HHS's actions were arbitrary and capricious, and that the agency failed to adhere to the necessary procedural requirements for notice-and-comment rulemaking.
At the end of a summary judgment hearing last month, a federal judge agreed with the states and issued an oral ruling blocking the federal government's threats. Today's written opinion and judgment effectuate that prior ruling and protect healthcare providers and hospitals from the potentially destabilizing effects of HHS's unlawful actions.
Joining Attorney General Brown in this lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the governor of Pennsylvania.
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Attorney-General-Brown-Wins-Lawsuit-Protecting-Gender-Affirming-Care.aspx
Md. A.G. Brown Files Lawsuit Against DC Water Over Potomac Interceptor Collapse
BALTIMORE, Maryland, April 21 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on April 20, 2026:
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Attorney General Brown Files Lawsuit Against DC Water Over Potomac Interceptor Collapse
Complaint Seeks Compensation and Penalties for Damage Caused by Sewage Spill
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Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and the Maryland Department of the Environment today filed a lawsuit against DC Water seeking penalties and damages for costs associated with contamination of the Potomac River caused by a historic sewage discharge and a court order requiring full restoration
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, April 21 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on April 20, 2026:
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Attorney General Brown Files Lawsuit Against DC Water Over Potomac Interceptor Collapse
Complaint Seeks Compensation and Penalties for Damage Caused by Sewage Spill
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Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and the Maryland Department of the Environment today filed a lawsuit against DC Water seeking penalties and damages for costs associated with contamination of the Potomac River caused by a historic sewage discharge and a court order requiring full restorationof the site.
The complaint stems from the January 19, 2026 rupture of a 72-inch section of the Potomac Interceptor sewer line in Montgomery County near the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, which released an estimated 240 million gallons of raw sewage over eight days into the Potomac River and its tributaries. The suit alleges that DC Water was aware that the over half-century-old Potomac Interceptor showed signs of corrosion yet failed to properly assess the risks and delayed initiating capital improvements.
"Millions of gallons of raw sewage in the Potomac River does not just disappear, it damages ecosystems and harms communities, and it demands accountability," said Attorney General Brown. "DC Water knew this aging infrastructure was corroding, yet it delayed repairs and failed in its duty to protect this treasured waterway, failures that we allege constitute gross negligence. We are going to court to make sure they make it right for Marylanders."
"The Potomac River belongs to the people of Maryland, and we expect it to be fully restored to health," said Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain. "The utility must take full responsibility for the damage caused and take immediate and lasting action to prevent future spills. The river is part of our identity, our economy, and our way of life."
The complaint, filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court, alleges DC Water violated state water pollution laws through unauthorized discharges. Maryland is asking the court to impose civil penalties of up to $10,000 per day for each violation, order DC Water to pay for all environmental testing and cleanup costs, cover damages for the lost value of the state's natural resources, and issue an order to permanently stop any future unauthorized sewage discharges.
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/-Attorney-General-Brown-Files-Lawsuit-Against-DC-Water-Over-Potomac-Interceptor-Collapse-.aspx
HCPAC to Hold Exeter, N.H. Public Meeting on Beth Isreal Lahey Health Inc.'s Acquisition of Exeter Hospital
CONCORD, New Hampshire, April 21 -- New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella issued the following news release on April 20, 2026:
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HCPAC to Hold Exeter, NH Public Meeting on Beth Isreal Lahey Health, Inc.'s Acquisition of Exeter Hospital
Concord, NH - Attorney General John M. Formella announces that the Healthcare Consumer Protection Advisory Commission will hold a public meeting at the Exeter Main Town Hall, 10 Front Street, Exeter on April 29, 2026 from 4:30 to 6:30 PM.
The public is invited to attend in person, or virtually, to share with the Commission their healthcare experience
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CONCORD, New Hampshire, April 21 -- New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella issued the following news release on April 20, 2026:
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HCPAC to Hold Exeter, NH Public Meeting on Beth Isreal Lahey Health, Inc.'s Acquisition of Exeter Hospital
Concord, NH - Attorney General John M. Formella announces that the Healthcare Consumer Protection Advisory Commission will hold a public meeting at the Exeter Main Town Hall, 10 Front Street, Exeter on April 29, 2026 from 4:30 to 6:30 PM.
The public is invited to attend in person, or virtually, to share with the Commission their healthcare experiencesince the acquisition of Exeter Hospital (EH) by Beth Isreal Lahey Health, Inc. (BILH). Particularly, members of the public may consider the following questions:
- How has BILH's acquisition of EH impacted your healthcare, specifically on areas such as cost, access, quality, and transparency?
- How is primary care access in your community? Has anything changed?
- How could the Commission address consumers' healthcare concerns?
The Commission was established to consult with and advise the Attorney General relative to the proper administration and management of the Healthcare Consumer Protection Trust Fund which is designated solely for the purpose of benefiting healthcare consumers.
The meeting will begin with opening statements by the Attorney General and Commission Members and then will be open to public comment.
The Healthcare Consumer Protection Advisory Commission website has more information here: https://www.doj.nh.gov/health-care-consumer-protection-advisory-commission.
To attend the meeting virtually, please find meeting information here (https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/25045941097168?p=tZ8P7j0lnHnN1Ku6Gr). Joining virtually does not guarantee that you will be able to comment during the meeting.
The Commission strongly encourages the submission of written comments. To submit written questions or comments, please email to HCPAC@doj.nh.gov. All comments are public record.
Please see NH RSA 7:6-g and RSA 7:6-h regarding the Commission and Trust Fund.
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Original text here: https://www.doj.nh.gov/news-and-media/hcpac-hold-exeter-nh-public-meeting-beth-isreal-lahey-health-incs-acquisition-exeter
Attorney General Ken Paxton Successfully Defends SB 10 and Ensures that the Ten Commandments Are Displayed in Classrooms Across Texas
AUSTIN, Texas, April 21 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Ken Paxton Successfully Defends SB 10 and Ensures that the Ten Commandments Are Displayed in Classrooms Across Texas
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Attorney General Ken Paxton successfully defended Senate Bill 10 ("SB 10") in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
"This is a major victory for Texas and our moral values," said Attorney General Paxton. "My office was proud to defend SB 10 and successfully ensure that the Ten Commandments will be displayed in classrooms across Texas. The Ten Commandments
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AUSTIN, Texas, April 21 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Ken Paxton Successfully Defends SB 10 and Ensures that the Ten Commandments Are Displayed in Classrooms Across Texas
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Attorney General Ken Paxton successfully defended Senate Bill 10 ("SB 10") in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
"This is a major victory for Texas and our moral values," said Attorney General Paxton. "My office was proud to defend SB 10 and successfully ensure that the Ten Commandments will be displayed in classrooms across Texas. The Ten Commandmentshave had a profound impact on our nation, and it's important that students learn from them every single day."
Attorney General Paxton's office defended SB 10 before the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit after securing an initial hearing en banc. Now, the Fifth Circuit has held that SB 10 will be in effect, meaning that the Ten Commandments will be posted in classrooms all across Texas.
To read the opinion, click here (https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Opinion_1.pdf).
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Original text here: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-successfully-defends-sb-10-and-ensures-ten-commandments-are-displayed
Attorney General James Sues Coinbase and Gemini for Running Illegal Gambling Platforms in New York
ALBANY, New York, April 21 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release:
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Attorney General James Sues Coinbase and Gemini for Running Illegal Gambling Platforms in New York
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April 21, 2026
NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James today sued Coinbase Financial Markets, Inc. (Coinbase) and Gemini, Titan LLC (Gemini) for illegally running gambling operations in New York through their so-called "prediction market" platforms. Both Coinbase and Gemini offer users the ability to bet on events, including sports, entertainment, and elections, in violation
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ALBANY, New York, April 21 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release:
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Attorney General James Sues Coinbase and Gemini for Running Illegal Gambling Platforms in New York
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April 21, 2026
NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James today sued Coinbase Financial Markets, Inc. (Coinbase) and Gemini, Titan LLC (Gemini) for illegally running gambling operations in New York through their so-called "prediction market" platforms. Both Coinbase and Gemini offer users the ability to bet on events, including sports, entertainment, and elections, in violationof New York laws. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) found that Coinbase and Gemini are running prediction markets that constitute illegal, unlicensed gambling operations. These illegal operations expose New Yorkers - including those under the legal gambling age of 21 - to serious financial and personal risk. Attorney General James is seeking court orders requiring Coinbase and Gemini to pay fines, forfeit illegal profits, and pay restitution to customers.
"Gambling by another name is still gambling, and it is not exempt from regulation under our state laws and Constitution," said Attorney General James. "Gemini and Coinbase's so-called prediction markets are just illegal gambling operations, exposing young people to addictive platforms that lack the necessary guardrails. My office is taking action to protect New Yorkers and stop these platforms from violating the law."
Coinbase and Gemini opened prediction markets available to New Yorkers over the age of 18. Prediction markets allow users to bet money on the outcome of a wide range of future events, from sports games to elections to award shows. Because the outcomes of these events are uncertain and outside the control of the bettor, or hinge on a game of chance, these prediction market platforms fit the legal definition of gambling in New York.
Coinbase and Gemini have failed to obtain a license from the New York State Gaming Commission, sidestepping their obligation to pay taxes like licensed casinos and mobile sports gambling platforms do. This tax revenue funds public schools, sports programs for underserved youth, and problem gambling education and treatment. Coinbase and Gemini's prediction markets are also available to users between the ages of 18-20, even though New York law states that a person must be at least 21 years old to participate in mobile sports betting.
Exposing young people to online gambling can have damaging effects on their mental and financial wellbeing. A recent study by the National Institutes of Health found that early exposure to gambling increases the likelihood of depression, anxiety, mood swings, and financial stress. Further, a study by the American Psychological Association found that 32 percent of those with a gambling disorder experience suicidal ideation.
Attorney General James' lawsuits also allege that Gemini and Coinbase are violating New York laws that forbid any betting on games in which New York college teams participate.
In her lawsuits filed today, Attorney General James is asking the court to require Coinbase and Gemini to forfeit illegal profits, distribute restitution to consumers who were harmed, and pay fines equal to three times the profits the companies made through their illegal actions.
Today's lawsuits are the latest actions in Attorney General James' continued efforts to enforce New York laws in the crypto and gambling industries and protect New York consumers. Attorney General James has issued multiple consumer alerts warning New Yorkers about the hazards of gambling, and has issued industry alerts to encourage compliance with state laws. Attorney General James has also taken action to prevent illegal gambling in New York. In January of 2026, she sued Valve, a video game developer, for illegally promoting gambling through video games popular with children and teenagers. In June 2025, Attorney General James announced that OAG stopped 26 illegal online sweepstakes casinos that offered slots, table games, and sports betting using virtual coins that could be exchanged for cash and prizes.
Attorney General James urges New Yorkers to ensure gambling platforms are registered with the New York State Gaming Commission and report any misconduct or gaming fraud to OAG by filing a complaint online, which can be done anonymously, or calling 1-800-771-7755.
The case is being handled by handled by Assistant Attorney Generals Alejandra de Urioste, K. Brent Tomer, Daniel Wiesenfeld, and Nina Varindani and Senior Enforcement Counsel Tanya Trakht of the Investor Protection Bureau, with assistance from Legal Assistant Renata Bodner and Senior Detective Brian Metz of the Investigations Division. The Investor Protection Bureau is led by Bureau Chief Shamiso Maswoswe and Deputy Bureau Chief Kenneth Haim and is a part of the Division of Economic Justice, which is overseen by Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris D'Angelo and First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
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Original text here: https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-sues-coinbase-and-gemini-running-illegal-gambling
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL RECOGNIZES EARTH DAY, CONTINUES TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT FROM UNLAWFUL FEDERAL ACTIONS
CHICAGO, Illinois, April 21 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL RECOGNIZES EARTH DAY, CONTINUES TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT FROM UNLAWFUL FEDERAL ACTIONS
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Chicago - With Earth Day approaching, Attorney General Kwame Raoul today highlighted his office's work to protect the environment, advance clean energy solutions, and sound the alarm about the Trump administration's unprecedented attempts to illegally dismantle programs and rescind regulations that protect clean air, clean water, clean energy, the climate, and public health
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CHICAGO, Illinois, April 21 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL RECOGNIZES EARTH DAY, CONTINUES TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT FROM UNLAWFUL FEDERAL ACTIONS
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Chicago - With Earth Day approaching, Attorney General Kwame Raoul today highlighted his office's work to protect the environment, advance clean energy solutions, and sound the alarm about the Trump administration's unprecedented attempts to illegally dismantle programs and rescind regulations that protect clean air, clean water, clean energy, the climate, and public healthand safety.
"Since taking office in January 2025, the Trump administration has attempted to undermine or eliminate important and often longstanding environmental protections at an alarming pace," Raoul said. "My office is working hard to combat these unlawful actions every step of the way. As we celebrate Earth Day, I maintain my commitment to protecting our environment and natural resources. All Illinois residents and future generations deserve clean air; clean water; access to reliable, clean energy; and to live free from exposure to toxic chemicals."
Raoul has partnered with his fellow attorneys general across the country to launch several legal challenges against the administration's unlawful actions that will harm the environment.
Protecting Clean Water and Clean Air
On his first day in office, President Trump issued an executive order declaring an unlawful "national energy emergency," which directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to use emergency authority to issue hundreds of Clean Water Act construction permits for energy facilities like pipelines and mines without ensuring the projects' safety. This unlawful order requires federal agencies to ignore the law and fast-track approval of activities that may damage Illinois' waterways, wetlands, critical habitats and endangered species. Raoul and a coalition of attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging this executive order in May 2025 and expanded the lawsuit in February.
Building on the executive order, beginning in December 2025, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) began issuing "emergency orders" that would halt the retirements of several costly coal units at fossil fuel power plants across the country. These facilities were all slated for retirement due to their age and state of disrepair. Extending operations beyond their planned retirement dates increases pollution, harms the public's health and welfare, damages ecosystems and contributes to climate change.
Attorney General Raoul filed a lawsuit earlier this month challenging the orders halting the retirement of R.M. Schahfer (Schahfer) power plant in Wheatfield, Indiana and F.B. Culley (Culley) generating station in Newburgh, Indiana.
Coal burned at Schahfer and Culley creates significant amounts of pollution, including nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, carbon dioxide and others. The Schahfer plant is located immediately southeast of Chicago, near the shore of Lake Michigan, and the Culley plant is located on the shore of the Ohio River, immediately upstream of southern Illinois.
Raoul has also filed lawsuits challenging similar emergency orders forcing a Michigan coal plant and a Pennsylvania methane gas- and oil-powered plant to remain in operation.
In March 2026, Raoul led a coalition of state and local governments filing a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rollback of updated standards for emissions of hazardous air pollutants from coal- and oil-fired power plants. Those pollutants include toxic metals, such as mercury, arsenic and lead, as well as acid gases such as hydrogen chloride and formaldehyde.
While mercury and other hazardous air pollutants disproportionately harm people who live near fossil fuel power plants, the emissions can also travel great distances and be deposited into other states. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that poses serious dangers to public health, especially for pregnant women and children. Exposure to mercury also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and autoimmune dysfunction in adults. Mercury emissions from power plants are also a major contributor to mercury contamination in U.S. waterways, including parts of Lake Michigan in Illinois.
Combating Climate Change
In March, Raoul and a coalition of state and local governments filed a lawsuit challenging the EPA's unlawful attempt to rescind its 2009 Endangerment Finding, the agency's seminal determination that greenhouse gas pollution causes climate change, endangering public health and welfare.
The rescission ignores decades of peer-reviewed scientific evidence and will endanger hundreds of millions of Americans, particularly communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harms, and cause unprecedented disruption to the regulatory landscape with catastrophic consequences for industries, natural resources and public investments.
Already, climate change is harming the well-being of Illinois' residents, natural resources and economy. For instance, climate change has made floods more intense and more frequent, causing dramatic damage to lives and property. In 2019, flooding in Illinois and other midwestern states killed three people and caused a total of $7.6 billion in property damage. In Cook County, multiple severe storms and flooding events in June and July 2023 caused $500 million in property damage. And in August 2025, severe flooding again struck the Chicagoland area, damaging over 5,500 homes.
To make matters worse, the administration has attempted to unlawfully withhold federal funding administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coerce Illinois and other states to cooperate with the administration's sweeping immigration enforcement efforts. Congress approved and funded these national grant programs that are intended to support recovery from natural disasters and emergencies, and to address the effects of climate change, such as flooding. Last year, Illinois received more than $122 million in FEMA funding to prepare for, protect against, respond to and recover from catastrophic disasters. After filing a lawsuit challenging these coercive conditions on funding, Raoul's office secured a court order preventing the administration from holding these critical federal dollars hostage.
In July 2025, the office also successfully took action to prevent the administration from attempting to shut down FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program, which funds proactive community efforts to protect against natural disasters before they strike. Illinois has used FEMA BRIC funding across the state to support natural disaster mitigation projects that reduce the risk of harm from flooding and safeguard critical resources, like water treatment plants and regional hospitals.
Ensuring Access to Reliable, Clean Energy
Through litigation, Raoul has protected clean wind energy projects and the development of Illinois' electric vehicle charging infrastructure. His office's legal successes will help ensure Illinois remains a clean energy leader and stays on track to meet the state's clean energy goal of 1 million electric cars on the road by 2030.
On his first day in office, President Trump issued an executive order to halt funding for research and development of clean energy solutions. Pursuant to this directive, the DOE compiled a "hit list" of energy and infrastructure projects and has been working to withhold or terminate those grants, including grants to the University of Illinois aimed at transformative scientific research around climate and energy.
In February, Raoul and fellow attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging these politically motivated and illegal attempts to summarily terminate or withhold billions of dollars of clean energy and infrastructure awards mandated by Congress.
Illinois is a top state in the country for producing clean energy from wind, and even more wind power developments are planned in Illinois for the near future. On his first day in office, President Trump issued a memorandum that, among other things, indefinitely halted all federal approvals necessary for the development of offshore and onshore wind energy projects pending federal review. Pursuant to this directive, federal agencies stopped all permitting and approval activities. In May 2025, Raoul and a coalition of state attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging the directive. In December, Raoul announced that the attorneys general won their case and a federal judge had vacated the administration's actions, ruling that they were arbitrary and capricious and contrary to law.
In August 2025, Raoul sued to block the DOE from imposing a new funding cap that would have slashed support for vital state-run energy programs. In Illinois, the cap would have endangered long-running programs promoting energy resiliency and efficiency. After Raoul and the coalition of states secured a victory in federal court, the DOE rescinded its unlawful policy earlier this month, bringing the case to a close.
In October 2025, Raoul and fellow attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the EPA for illegally ending a $7 billion program to bring solar energy to more than 900,000 households in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the country.
In May 2025, Raoul joined fellow attorneys general in filing a lawsuit seeking to stop the federal government from illegally terminating billions of dollars Congress approved to fund electric vehicle infrastructure. The Federal Highway Administration withheld $117 million dollars it granted to Illinois to develop electric car charging infrastructure. In January, Raoul announced that a federal judge issued a final ruling, finding that the Trump administration illegally withheld around $1 billion in funding from Illinois and the other states in the lawsuit.
In December 2025, Raoul and a group of attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for unlawfully suspending two bipartisan grant programs for electric vehicle charging infrastructure that would reduce pollution, expand access to clean vehicles and create thousands of green jobs. The funding includes $130 million in competitive grant funding that the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Illinois to support new electric vehicle charging stations across the state, including the Chicagoland area, Springfield, the Metro East and the Quad Cities.
Raoul's office has also submitted dozens of comment letters to federal agencies opposing unlawful and dangerous proposed administrative rule changes that would strip federal protections and leave Illinois residents and the environment in danger. Raoul's office also files amicus briefs in support of other cases challenging unlawful actions by the administration that will harm the environment.
In addition to these efforts to defend environmental protections at the federal level, the office's Environmental Enforcement Division and Environmental Crimes Bureau enforce the state's environmental laws by both civilly and criminally prosecuting polluters and holding them accountable for causing harm to residents' health, the environment and the state's natural resources. The office's Environmental Enforcement Division has recovered millions of dollars from polluters and has required companies to undertake environmental projects in communities impacted by pollution.
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Original text here: https://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/news/story/attorney-general-raoul-recognizes-earth-day-continues-to-protect-the-environment-from-unlawful-federal-actions
AG Campbell Wins Lawsuit Protecting Gender-Affirming Care
BOSTON, Massachusetts, April 21 -- Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell issued the following news release:
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AG Campbell Wins Lawsuit Protecting Gender-Affirming Care
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Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and a coalition of 22 states secured a federal court order blocking an unlawful attempt by the Trump Administration to threaten healthcare providers that provide care for youth with gender dysphoria. A federal district court issued a written opinion and judgment granting the plaintiff states' summary judgment motion.
"This ruling is a decisive rejection
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BOSTON, Massachusetts, April 21 -- Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell issued the following news release:
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AG Campbell Wins Lawsuit Protecting Gender-Affirming Care
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Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and a coalition of 22 states secured a federal court order blocking an unlawful attempt by the Trump Administration to threaten healthcare providers that provide care for youth with gender dysphoria. A federal district court issued a written opinion and judgment granting the plaintiff states' summary judgment motion.
"This ruling is a decisive rejectionof the federal government's attempt to intimidate providers and deny young people access to medically necessary, life-saving care," said AG Campbell. "The harm from these threats is already being felt, including here in Massachusetts where some providers have scaled back or declined to offer care out of fear of federal retaliation. This decision helps protect providers and affirms that medical decisions belong with patients, their families, and their doctors - not the federal government."
On December 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a declaration asserting that certain forms of gender-affirming care are "unsafe and ineffective" and threatened to punish any doctors, hospitals, and clinics that continued to provide such care by excluding them from the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs.
AG Campbell and the coalition immediately sued in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, arguing that Secretary Kennedy lacked the legal authority to issue the declaration; that HHS's actions were arbitrary and capricious; and that the agency failed to adhere to the necessary procedural requirements for notice-and-comment rulemaking.
At the end of a summary judgment hearing last month, a federal judge agreed with the states and issued an oral ruling blocking the federal government's threats. Today's written opinion and judgment effectuate that prior ruling and protect healthcare providers and hospitals from the potentially destabilizing effects of HHS's unlawful actions.
Joining AG Campbell in this lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai'i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the governor of Pennsylvania.
* Office of the Attorney General
The Attorney General is the chief lawyer and law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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Original text here: https://www.mass.gov/news/ag-campbell-wins-lawsuit-protecting-gender-affirming-care
