California Attorney General Rob Bonta has joined a coalition of 15 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The brief urges the court to restrict a subpoena from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that seeks private medical records related to gender-affirming care at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
“Subpoenas targeting the medical records of transgender youth are an assault on privacy,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Healthcare decisions should be between patients, families, and doctors — not in the hands of the government. That’s why I am standing with a coalition of attorneys general, urging the court to quash or limit U.S. DOJ’s subpoena of documents relating to medically necessary, gender-affirming care.”
The DOJ issued an administrative subpoena to CHOP on June 12, requesting information and documents regarding gender-affirming care provided by the hospital. The request includes sensitive data such as patient names, dates of birth, home addresses, and social security numbers.
According to the amicus brief filed by Bonta and his counterparts, there is concern that these actions could intimidate healthcare providers from delivering critical care to transgender youth—even in states where such care is legal and protected, like California. The brief also raises concerns about how the DOJ interprets existing federal law. If accepted by courts, this interpretation could make it risky for medical professionals nationwide to prescribe FDA-approved medications for off-label uses—a common practice in pediatric medicine.
The coalition notes that many states have their own laws protecting access to gender-affirming care for transgender residents under age 19. In California specifically, legislation exists both recognizing this right and shielding individuals who provide or receive such care from penalties imposed by other jurisdictions.
Earlier in October, Attorney General Bonta submitted another amicus brief opposing a similar DOJ subpoena concerning patient records at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Attorneys general from Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington joined California in submitting this latest brief.
A copy of the amicus brief can be found here.
