A coalition of 16 Democratic attorneys general criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over his administration’s request to public colleges in the state for information about students receiving gender-affirming care, saying it intimidates physicians and could have a chilling effect on students seeking the care.
The coalition, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, said in a letter sent on Friday to DeSantis, a Republican, that they have an “interest in protecting the rights and medical decisions of the many students and staff members in the Florida state university system who are citizens of our states.”
“The information request you have issued threatens to undermine the private medical decisions made by transgender individuals together with their families and health care providers and risks the lives and welfare of some of the most vulnerable people in our communities,” the letter says.
It’s unclear why DeSantis’ administration is seeking this information. CNN has reached out to DeSantis’ office for comment on the letter.
Gender-affirming care – particularly for trans youth – has recently come under assault by conservatives, with several GOP-led states moving to restrict it for minors over the last few years. LGBTQ advocates and their supporters have said that targeting the care could have dire consequences for a vulnerable group that suffers from uniquely high rates of suicide.
The attorneys general charged that the request “may be intended to intimidate, and will actually intimidate, university administrators and health care providers and chill vulnerable students, including the students or staff in Florida’s state university system who are citizens of our states, from accessing necessary medical care.”
In January, Florida Office of Policy and Budget director Chris Spencer sent a memo to all public colleges in…
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