INDIANA – Attorney General Todd Rokita is leading a 22-state coalition in filing an amicus brief supporting Florida’s right to hold the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) accountable in state court for allegedly deceptive practices that promoted gender transitions for minors.
The coalition is urging a federal appeals court to reverse an Illinois federal district court ruling that blocked Florida from pursuing its legitimate claims under state law.
“We are continuing to fight against the evil forces that want to sacrifice our children’s health, innocence, and well-being on the altar of radical gender ideology,” said Attorney General Rokita. “The stakes here go far beyond one state. If a federal court in Illinois can stop another state from enforcing its own laws to protect minors from irreversible and dangerous surgeries, the same thing could happen in Indiana — and I will not stand for it.”
In December 2025, Florida’s attorney general sued the AAP, the Endocrine Society, and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), alleging that their coordinated campaign misled patients, parents, insurers, regulators, and courts about the reversibility and efficacy of pediatric sex interventions. The lawsuit asserts violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and a pattern of racketeering activity under Florida’s RICO statute.
The AAP responded by filing suit in federal court in Illinois, claiming First Amendment protection for its statements. The Illinois district court sided with the AAP and issued an injunction preventing Florida from proceeding in its own state courts. Florida has appealed and sought an emergency stay.
“Remarkably, a federal district court sitting in Illinois reached across the country to enjoin the Florida Attorney General from prosecuting an action in Florida,” Attorney General Rokita wrote in the brief. “The district court’s decision defies settled doctrine and federalism principles alike. Left unchecked, its logic could displace state courts from their proper role in resolving state-court actions based on state law in a wide variety of disputes.”
The amicus brief — led by Indiana and joined by the Arizona legislature in addition to the 21 other states — is linked here.
In 2023, the Indiana General Assembly passed Senate Enrolled Act 480, a strong law banning gender transition procedures on minors. Attorney General Rokita aggressively defended that law in court against activist challenges, helping secure victories that kept these dangerous interventions illegal in the Hoosier State.
