Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill asked the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a Tennessee law that protects children by prohibiting certain medical interventions to treat gender dysphoria, including puberty blockers and hormones. Murrill joined a 22-state coalition in filing an amicus brief in U.S. v. Skrmetti, urging the Court to uphold the fundamental role of the states in the regulation of medicine, health care and child welfare.

"As I’ve stated before, child mutilation is barbaric and against Louisiana law. We should not experiment on a child with biologically altering drugs that have an unknown physiological trajectory and end point. I stand with my fellow attorneys general in protecting our kids from this abuse, and urge the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold Tennessee’s law,” said Attorney General Murrill.

The attorneys general underscore that, in our federalist system, it is the people through their elected state representatives who determine what procedures are safe and beneficial for children. States can – and are – choosing different policy approaches. Currently, more than 20 states have enacted laws like Tennessee’s. On the other hand, at least 14 states have enacted contrary laws. 

If the Court were to rule against Tennessee’s law it, “would constitutionalize an issue of intense public and scientific debate best left to the political branches. The Court would remove from the people and their representatives the chance to weigh the scientific claims, decide how best to address the competing interests and make the difficult policy decision,” the attorneys general write. 

Louisiana joined the brief led by Kentucky, Arkansas and Indiana, along with attorneys general from Alaska, Florida Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Read the brief here.