LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A federal judge blocked part of a new state law focused on transgender kids and teens on Wednesday.

That's the controversial legislation passed earlier this year in Kentucky. Seven Kentucky transgender children and their parents filed a lawsuit.

Download PDF ACLU temporary order

It would ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth, bans schools from requiring staff to use a student's preferred pronouns, limit the teaching of certain sex-related topics and requires school policies on bathrooms, locker rooms and showers.

"It's particularly important to us because Justice is nonbinary," Chenault said.

Anice Chenault said the law violates the constitutional rights of her child -- Justice.

"We know that the bill is unconstitutional. We know that the bill is harmful towards our children. And so I was expecting and hoping for the Kentucky State court to do the right thing," Chenault said.

Wednesday brought a win in their fight to block the bill. A federal judge halted the part that would have banned gender affirming care for transgender youth.

"Our clients are absolutely thrilled," Amber Duke, Executive Director of the ACLU, said.

"There's a huge sigh of relief not only from the seven families that we are incredibly honored to represent, but also for families across Kentucky that have youth that have been receiving treatments or who have been looking into treatments," Duke said.

Six of the kids in the lawsuit are currently getting treatments that would be banned under the law. The ruling says evidence in the lawsuit showed the banned treatments are medically appropriate and necessary for some transgender children.

"This lawsuit, the ACLU and others have filed is legally and morally flawed," David Walls, Executive Director of the Family Foundation in Kentucky, said.

"It's going to cause real and immediate harm to children in Kentucky," Walls said.

The judge's order came on the eve of the bill's implementation, and it doesn't stop the other provisions from taking affect.

"We're disappointed but this unfortunately, was not completely unexpected. You know, this is just another sad example of an activist judicial ruling, really seeking to put LGBTQ ideology above the law," Walls said.

"By granting the preliminary injunction the judge says that we have a high likelihood of being successful," Duke said.

Wednesday's order is a temporary hold. It will stay in place as the bill makes its way through the courts.

“We are grateful to the Court for enjoining this egregious ban on medically necessary care, which would have caused harm for countless young Kentuckians," ACLU-KY Legal Director Corey Shapiro said in a statement. "This is a win, but it is only the first step. We’re prepared to fight for families’ right to make their own private medical decisions in court, and to continue doing everything in our power to ensure access to medical care is permanently secured in Kentucky.”

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron also released a statement on the decision:

“Today’s misguided decision by a federal judge tramples the right of the General Assembly to make public policy for the Commonwealth. Senate Bill 150 is a commonsense law that protects Kentucky children from unnecessary medical experimentation with powerful drugs and hormone treatments. These procedures are not based on science, threaten the safety of minors, and have irreversible life-long consequences on children’s health. This is why other countries have moved to restrict such treatments, citing a lack of medical evidence and considerable long-term risks, and have called for the kind of protections contained in SB 150.

I will always fight the radical idea that risky drugs and life-altering surgical mutilations should be tools to put confused children on an inevitable path toward a life of gender dysphoria. There is nothing “affirming” about this dangerous approach to mental health, and my office will continue to do everything in our power to defend this law passed by our elected representatives.”

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