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The Center Square [By Kim Jarrett] –
Tennessee Republican lawmakers on Wednesday praised the 6-3 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a state law banning “gender-affirming care” for minors.
The Tennessee General Assembly passed Senate Bill 1 in 2023.
The American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit on behalf of families they said would be affected by the law. The Biden administration’s Justice Department joined the ACLU in the challenge, but the challenge was dropped when President Donald Trump took office.
Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, sponsored the bill in the Senate.
“This ruling sends a strong message to the country that states have a clear right and path forward to protect children from irreversible body mutilation,” Johnson said in a statement posted on social media. “The simple message the Supreme Court has sent to the world is ‘enough is enough.'”
House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, called the decision a “landmark victory for common sense.”
“For too long, the Left labeled these harmful drugs and barbaric procedures as ‘gender-affirming care,’ refusing to acknowledge they are unproven, irreversible and come with life-altering disfigurement,” said Lamberth, who sponsored the bill in the House. “From the beginning, this law was about protecting vulnerable young people unable to provide informed consent to advice rooted in lies and radical ideology.”
Senate Minority Leader Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, said the ruling does not make the law moral or right.
“Tennessee’s law was always about politics, not protecting children. It strips away the rights of loving families and qualified professionals to make decisions based on science and compassion,” Akbari said. “Now, the highest court in the land has greenlit that overreach, opening the door for even more intrusion into private healthcare choices. History will remember who stood with kids and families.”
Senator Bo Watson (R-Hixson) hailed the decision by the Supreme Court saying:
“The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Tennessee’s ban on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors is a clear and meaningful victory for Tennessee. This is about protecting our children and preserving the state’s authority to regulate medical care within our borders. “I’ve always said this law is rooted in our responsibility to safeguard minors from making permanent, life-altering decisions they may not fully understand, and the Court’s 6 to 3 ruling affirms that. I’m proud to see the Court support our efforts to do what’s right for Tennessee families.”
