AG Yost Applauds Supreme Court Ruling on Transgender Treatment Laws, Sees Boost for Ohio’s SAFE Act
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is praising a decision handed down Friday by the U.S. Supreme Court in United States v. Skrmetti, which upheld the authority of states to regulate gender-transition treatments for minors.
In a public statement following the ruling, Yost said the Court’s decision marks a significant victory for both the protection of children and the principles of democratic governance.
“The Supreme Court today ruled that states can protect vulnerable children against forever decisions when it comes to surgery and medication,” Yost stated. “This is great news, not only for the kids, but for the fate of the SAFE Act in the Ohio Supreme Court.”
Yost was referring to Ohio’s Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act, legislation that restricts gender-transition surgeries and certain hormone treatments for individuals under 18. The act is currently the subject of legal challenges and under review by the Ohio Supreme Court.
The Attorney General emphasized that the ruling reinforces the constitutional right of states to make policy decisions through their legislatures rather than through judicial decree.
“Today’s ruling affirms that the Constitution leaves difficult questions to the democratic process in state legislatures,” Yost said. “Judges shouldn’t sit as kings over democracy.”
The Skrmetti case arose from Tennessee’s ban on certain medical procedures and treatments for minors seeking to transition genders. In upholding the state’s authority, the high court ruled that states have a legitimate interest in regulating health care decisions for children, especially when it involves irreversible procedures.
Yost has consistently defended Ohio’s SAFE Act as a measure designed to ensure that medical decisions involving minors are made cautiously and reflect long-term considerations. Critics of such laws argue they infringe upon the rights of transgender youth and their families to seek affirming care.
The Supreme Court’s ruling is likely to have ripple effects across the country as similar laws in multiple states face legal challenges.
