FRANKFORT, Ky. (September 28, 2023) – Attorney General Daniel Cameron prevailed today in his fight to protect Kentucky children from experimental sex-change treatments, as a federal appeals court rejected attempts to block Senate Bill 150. The commonsense law—vetoed by Governor Beshear—protects kids from permanent, invasive harm caused by puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. In light of today’s Sixth Circuit’s ruling, Senate Bill 150 remains in full force while the case moves forward.
“These gender interventions, billed as medical care, cause permanent harm to vulnerable children and their health,” said General Cameron. “Despite full-throated denials by Governor Beshear and his far-left activists, our children would still be under attack without SB 150. Andy Beshear won’t protect our kids, but I will, and I am proud to carry the mantle for this important law.”
The General Assembly passed Senate Bill 150 during the 2023 Regular Session. The legislation prioritizes the health, safety, and welfare of children and safeguards them from, among other things, irreversible medical treatments and ideological indoctrination in schools. Governor Beshear vetoed the sweeping legislation, which also keeps boys out of girls’ restrooms and locker rooms. The General Assembly overrode his veto by overwhelming margins.
Lawyers from the ACLU and the National Center for Lesbian Rights sued to halt enforcement of a section of Senate Bill 150 that would revoke the licenses of physicians who perform so-called “gender-affirming care” on minors. A federal court in Louisville ruled in their favor, and General Cameron immediately sought and secured emergency relief from that ruling.
Today’s ruling keeps that relief in effect, and finds that General Cameron is likely to secure a permanent victory when the case is decided on the merits. Because of his tireless efforts, Senate Bill 150 has been in place protecting Kentucky children since July 14.
“Experimenting on children—sterilizing children—in the name of social progress is evil,” said State Representative Matt Lockett, of Jessamine. “Attorney General Cameron has been a stalwart against that evil since day one, and his latest victory in the fight to uphold SB 150 is just further proof of his commitment to Kentucky kids.”
“This legislature has an absolute obligation to protect minor children from making life-altering decisions before their brains, much less their bodies, are fully formed,” said Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson, of Bowling Green. “This recent ruling reflects that SB 150 is clearly a constitutional measure with Kentucky’s children and their innocence in mind.”
General Cameron has been a fierce defender of children at every turn. In July, he issued an Opinion refuting the Kentucky Department of Education’s “perverse and non-sensical” SB 150 guidance about teaching gender identity in the classroom. Earlier, he ridiculed President Biden’s effort that would force schools to allow biological boys into girls’ lockers, showers, and bathrooms. And he sued the Biden Administration to keep biological men from competing in women’s sports.
View the Sixth Circuit’s ruling here.