A law in Ohio that would outlaw transgender treatments for children can take effect after a judge struck down a challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union Tuesday.
The bill, first passed in December, had been on hold for months. It makes it illegal for heathcare professionals to perform transgender surgeries or prescribe puberty blockers to patients under the age of 18.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, vetoed the bill, but state lawmakers overrode the veto in January. In March, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the state over the ban, which put the measure on hold while legal challenges played out.
In his decision, Franklin County Judge Michael Holbrook wrote that the ban "reasonably limits parents' rights to make decisions about their children's medical care consistent with the state's deeply rooted legitimate interest in the regulation of medical profession and medical treatments."
The ACLU said it is appealing Holbrook's "disappointing" ruling, "especially in light of the continuing efforts to undermine this vulnerable population in Ohio."
Critics of the law argue that it denies transgender youth healthcare and specifically discriminates against their ability to access it.
The new law also bans transgender athletes from participating in organized sports outside of their biological sex.
Doctors that violate the law could lose their medical license and sports leagues or schools that don't comply risk losing state funding.
At least 25 states have enacted laws restricting or banning transgender treatment for minors, but many of those laws are facing legal challenges.