California AG Sues Rady Children's Health Over Ending Gender-Affirming Care

Lawsuit alleges hospital violated merger agreement by shutting down services for minors

Jan. 31, 2026 at 1:47am

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California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a lawsuit against Rady Children's Health for shutting down its gender-affirming care program for patients under 19 years old. Bonta argues the hospital violated legally-binding conditions of a merger agreement by ending these services, which he says are medically necessary. Rady had cited "escalating federal actions" under the Trump administration as the reason for the decision.

Why it matters

The lawsuit highlights the ongoing legal and political battles over access to gender-affirming healthcare, especially for minors. It also raises questions about the obligations of healthcare providers that have merged or affiliated with other organizations, and whether they can unilaterally discontinue certain services.

The details

In the lawsuit, Bonta alleges that Rady Children's Health violated conditions of its merger with Children's Hospital of Orange County by ending gender-affirming care services. Rady had cited federal investigations and the Trump administration's policies as the reason for shutting down the program, which served around 1,450 patients. Bonta argues these were unlawful grounds for Rady to abandon its legal obligations.

  • On January 1, 2026, Rady Children's Health announced it would no longer provide gender-affirming medical interventions, procedures and prescriptions.
  • On January 31, 2026, California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against Rady Children's Health over the decision to end gender-affirming care services.

The players

Rob Bonta

The Attorney General of California who filed the lawsuit against Rady Children's Health.

Rady Children's Health

A healthcare system in San Diego that recently merged with Children's Hospital of Orange County, and has now been sued by the California Attorney General for ending its gender-affirming care program.

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What they’re saying

“Rady Children's Health has chosen to violate its merger agreement and California law in response to the Trump Administration's illegal campaign against providers of gender-affirming care. Rady flagrantly disregarded its legal obligations by unilaterally deciding to preemptively comply with the Administration's demands and cease medically necessary care for roughly 1,450 patients. We will not allow Rady to violate its obligations to its patients and the State. We will fight to uphold the law and ensure Californians can access gender-affirming care without facing unfair roadblocks.”

— Rob Bonta, California Attorney General (nbcsandiego.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide whether to grant a preliminary injunction that would force Rady Children's Health to resume providing gender-affirming care services while the lawsuit is pending.

The takeaway

This lawsuit highlights the ongoing legal battles over access to gender-affirming healthcare, especially for minors, and the obligations of healthcare providers that have merged with other organizations. It raises questions about how far providers can go in limiting certain services in response to political or regulatory pressure.