In a bold move against the Biden administration, Texas officials are contesting a recent directive that would permit schools to provide birth control to teenagers without the need for parental approval.
The Lone Star State's Attorney General, Ken Paxton, declared on Thursday that his office is taking legal action against the Biden administration for their 2021 modification to Title X guidelines, which eradicates the necessity for parental consent for birth control services.
According to Fox News, Paxton expressed his vehement opposition to the new guidelines, stating, "By attempting to force Texas healthcare providers to offer contraceptives to children without parental consent, the Biden Administration continues to prove they will do anything to implement their extremist agenda even undermine the Constitution and violate the law."
This legal face-off in Texas commenced in December 2021, when US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ruled that Title X the federal program offering free, confidential contraception to anyone, irrespective of age, income, or immigration status infringes upon parental rights and contravenes state and federal laws.
The case was presented by Jonathan Mitchell, the former solicitor general of Texas, on behalf of father Alex Deanda. Deanda, a devout Christian, is raising his daughters in alignment with Christian teachings on sexuality, which advocate for abstinence and sexual purity until marriage.
He stated that he was "raising each of his daughters in accordance with Christian teaching on matters of sexuality, which requires unmarried children to practice abstinence and refrain from sexual intercourse until marriage."
In a countermove, the federal government revised guidelines to specify that Title X projects "may not require consent of parents or guardians for the provision of services to minors, nor can any Title X project staff notify a parent or guardian before or after a minor has requested and/or received Title X family planning services."
Paxton is now pushing for a permanent injunction on this rule, arguing that it contradicts the federal court's findings.
The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Amarillo and is expected to be heard by Judge Kacsmaryk, who previously ruled in favor of parental notification regarding their children's access to birth control.
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