The state of Washington is leading several other states in suing the federal government over threats to pull teen reproductive and sexual health education.
Attorney General Nick Brown is leading a group of 16 states that are suing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The states are claiming that the federal government’s pulling of funding from reproductive and sexual health education programs is illegal.
They say that the government is defunding these programs for political reasons.
The new stipulations are a request of the Trump administration that requires states to remove language affirming students’ gender identity.
The group claims that the administration is requiring them to use medically unsupported and incomplete program content, which goes against congressional law.
State law in Washington requires that inclusive language in program materials.
“The federal government’s far-reaching efforts to erase people who don’t fit one of two gender labels is illegal and wrong—and would deny services to millions more in the process,” Brown said. “These young people are treated equally under Washington state and federal laws, and we intend to make sure of it.”
Washington receives $2.6 million in funds from the HHS through the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP), along with other states that are part of the lawsuit.
The states that have joined the lawsuit include Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.