A federal judge has struck down Arkansas’ ban on gender-affirming care for minors. U.S. District Judge Jay Moody ruled Tuesday that the nation’s first ban on such care for children violates the U.S. Constitution. Moody in 2021 had temporarily blocked the state from enforcing its ban while he considered the challenge to the measure. The law prohibited doctors from providing gender-affirming hormone treatment, puberty blockers or surgery to anyone under 18. It also prohibited doctors from referring patients elsewhere from such care. The ban had been widely criticized by medical groups.

A federal judge has struck down Arkansas’ ban on gender-affirming care for minors. U.S. District Judge Jay Moody ruled Tuesday that the nation’s first ban on such care for children violates the U.S. Constitution. Moody in 2021 had temporarily blocked the state from enforcing its ban while he considered the challenge to the measure. The law prohibited doctors from providing gender-affirming hormone treatment, puberty blockers or surgery to anyone under 18. It also prohibited doctors from referring patients elsewhere from such care. The ban had been widely criticized by medical groups.