Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
High Court Rebuffs Gender Transition Case But OKs Case On Religious Rights
CBS News: Supreme Court Turns Away Parental Rights Dispute Involving Child's Gender Transition In School
The Supreme Court on Monday turned away a legal battle testing whether a public school violates parents' rights when it encourages their child's social gender transition without their knowledge or consent. In declining the appeal from Massachusetts parents who sued their child's school district, the high court left untouched a lower court ruling that rejected their claim that their rights had been violated. But the justices may have another opportunity to weigh in on the simmering issue of parental rights in public schools, since a similar case brought by parents in Florida is awaiting action by the high court. (Quinn, 4/20)
The New York Times: Justices To Hear Case On Catholic Preschools That Reject Children Of Gay Parents
The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to decide whether Catholic preschools in Colorado that decline to enroll 4-year-olds with gay or transgender parents can participate in a publicly funded state program. Two Catholic parish preschools in the Denver area said admitting such children would require them to violate their religious convictions. A Colorado program pays for families to send their children to the preschool of their choice, public or private, including faith-based programs. But the state refused to grant an exception to its anti-discrimination rules to allow the preschools to participate. The church then sued. Lower court judges sided with the state. (Marimow, 4/20)
More news on LGBTQ+ health —
Advocate: Appeals Court Clears Path To Move Trans Women Into Men’s Prisons Despite Sexual Assault Risk
The Bureau of Prisons could soon relocate transgender women inmates to men’s prisons. A federal appellate court in Washington, D.C., ruled that 18 inmates failed to make a case that such transfers inherently amount to “cruel and unusual punishment,” reversing a lower court’s decision. (Ogles, 4/20)
The Oregonian: Oregon Pays $295,000 To Settle Transgender Woman’s Lawsuit Stemming From Alleged Prison Abuse
The state has agreed to pay $295,000 to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by a transgender woman who was housed in an Oregon men’s prison and assigned to share a cell with a predatory sex offender. (Bernstein, 4/20)
Kansas City Star: Missouri House Passes Controversial Anti-Trans Bathroom Bill
The Missouri House passed a bill on Monday that would punish cities, public schools and other government entities that fail to prevent transgender people from using restrooms and other sex-specific spaces that don’t align with their sex assigned at birth. (Harvel, 4/20)
