Lawsuit targeting WA law meant to protect trans youth in crisis is dismissed on appeal
Parents trying to overturn a Washington law protecting runaway transgender youth have hit another roadblock in federal court.
A three-judge appeals court panel on Friday unanimously dismissed a constitutional challenge to the controversial 2023 statute, which allows operators of emergency shelters to notify state authorities, rather than parents, when children seek refuge as they pursue gender-affirming care and support services.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld a lower court ruling that concluded those challenging the law lacked legal standing to sue because they could not prove they suffered actual or imminent harm from the statute. The plaintiffs who brought the case included several parents whose teenage children exhibited signs of gender dysphoria, but were not runaways, and two nonprofits that oppose gender-affirming care for children.
In a statement, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown’s office said, “We are pleased that the court saw through this politicized attempt to create a case where none existed.”
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/07/28/lawsuit-targeting-wa-law-meant-to-protect-trans-youth-in-crisis-is-dismissed-on-appeal/