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Texas’ Anti-Trans ‘Child Abuse’ Directive Blocked Again by Appeals Court

Keeping the order in place while it was being appealed would cause “irreparable harm” to families, the court said.

A Texas appeals court reinstated a restraining order Monday blocking Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive that child protective services must conduct child abuse investigations into families who provided gender-affirming drugs to their children. In the latest setback to Texas’ anti-trans culture war crusade, the court said allowing the order to continue while it was under appeal would cause “irreparable harm” to families. “We conclude that reinstating the temporary injunction is necessary to maintain the status quo and preserve the rights of all parties,” the court wrote. The decision could still be appealed by Attorney General Ken Paxton to the Texas Supreme Court. Since the order was imposed last month, Texas has investigated at least nine families for child abuse, according to the Houston Chronicle.