CA DOJ Human Trafficking

Despite Trump Administration's Efforts, Gender-Affirming Care Remains Legal in California

California Attorney General Bonta issued guidance on April 21, 2026, reaffirming that gender-affirming care remains legal in California following the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon's ruling that permanently enjoined HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s December 18, 2025 Kennedy Declaration. The court held the Kennedy Declaration unlawful under the Administrative Procedure Act and prohibited HHS from enforcing it or any materially similar policy that supersedes states' professionally recognized standards for gender-affirming care. Healthcare providers in California can continue providing gender-affirming care without fear of retaliation, and the ruling protects transgender individuals' rights to access such care.