A Texas judge on Friday temporarily blocked state Attorney General Ken Paxton from forcing an LGBTQ+ advocacy group to hand over information about transgender children receiving gender-affirming medical care.
The ruling came just one day after PFLAG National went to court to try to stop Paxton’s office from getting the information.
Travis County District Court Judge Maria Cantú Hexsel said in an order that providing the information would harm PFLAG and its members in several ways, including violating their rights of free speech, association and protection from unreasonable searches. Additionally, the judge said, it would be a “gross invasion” of privacy.
HIPAA doesn’t protect you from the government legally obtaining records. It’s a shield for patients against having their medical data leaked to the public in various ways. This situation is beyond terrifying, but HIPAA doesn’t apply here.