Supreme Court taking up case challenging Washington’s youth shelter, gender-affirming care law
Jun 29, 2026, 12:52 PM
The West Front of U.S. Supreme Court on June 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. Justices released several opinions before departing on traditional summer recess. (Photo: Tom Brenner, Getty Images)
(Photo: Tom Brenner, Getty Images)
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to take up a challenge to Washington’s youth shelter law involving gender-affirming care and parental notification.
Under Washington state law (initially passed in 2023 as an amendment), shelters don’t have to notify the parents of children who are seeking gender-affirming treatment and reproductive health services, particularly if shelter workers believe parental abuse or neglect could be a consequence.
“This law was passed to give runaway youth and their families access to reunification and behavioral health services,” Mike Faulk, the Deputy Communications Director for the Washington Attorney General’s Office, said. “The law makes clear that the Department of Children, Youth, and Families must make good-faith attempts to contact families with a goal of reunification.
“We previously won this challenge at the district and circuit court levels, with courts deciding that the families and organizations that sued didn’t explain how they were or likely to be injured by the law,” Faulk added. “We will be prepared to successfully defend it at the Supreme Court.”
In 2024, a lawsuit challenged the law, with plaintiffs arguing it violates parents’ constitutional rights to direct the care and upbringing of their children, as well as their religious freedoms.
But the federal court ruled that the claims were speculative and lacked evidence of harm, dismissing the lawsuit challenging it.
Now, the Supreme Court will hear the case that is challenging Washington’s law allowing minors to access gender-affirming care without parental consent. According to The Center Square, the court will examine three specific laws: Permitting minors who are at least 13 years old to receive “outpatient treatment” without parental consent; requiring overnight shelters to reach out to the state, instead of the parents, if a child runs away to seek “protected” gender-affirming care; and allowing shelters to have children stay there for up to 90 days.
The Supreme Court may take until next summer to issue its decision.
Contributing: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest
