Texas Drops Lawsuit Over Transgender Youth Care
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office has dropped its lawsuit against an El Paso physician accused of breaking the state’s new ban on gender-affirming care for minors, concluding that no laws were violated.
Doctor Targeted Under SB 14
Dr. Hector Granados, a pediatric endocrinologist based in El Paso, was among the first doctors in the country sued under Senate Bill 14 (SB 14), the 2023 Texas law restricting most gender-affirming medical treatments for minors.
The state alleged that Granados had continued prescribing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones after the law took effect on September 1, 2023, and even falsified medical records to hide it.
Dr. Hector Granados denied the accusations from the start, maintaining that he had already stopped providing this form of care before the law was enacted.
Following a review of Granados’s complete medical records, the Attorney General’s office acknowledged that no violations occurred and dismissed the case. In its statement, the office noted that while Granados was cleared, other lawsuits against doctors remain active.
Other Lawsuits Still Moving Forward
According to a statement from Paxton’s office, the cases against Dr. May Lau and Dr. M. Brett Cooper are still active, and the two physicians will “face justice for harming Texas children both physically and emotionally.” Attorneys representing the doctors did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.
The Attorney General’s team also struck a combative tone, vowing that Paxton will continue to use the full weight of Texas law against what they described as left-wing medical professionals responsible for imposing so-called ‘gender’ ideology on minors.
Relieved by the dismissal, Granados criticized the way the case had been brought, pointing out that state officials never contacted him directly to verify the allegations before suing.
Civil rights groups, including the ACLU, argue that even short-lived cases like this one create a chilling effect, discouraging medical providers from offering care to transgender patients.
What SB 14 Means
Texas’s SB 14 bans puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgical procedures for minors seeking gender transition. Physicians who were already treating patients when the law passed were ordered to taper them off these medications. Lawsuits challenging SB 14 are still moving through the courts, with critics arguing the measure violates both medical ethics and constitutional rights.
Dr. Hector Granados has been cleared of any wrongdoing, yet his case highlights the broader legal and political struggle over transgender health care in Texas. His dismissal offers some relief, but other physicians remain under investigation, and the fate of SB 14 is still being contested in the courts.
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