Palmetto State News

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has aligned with a coalition of 23 other states in submitting a legal brief opposing the use of taxpayer funds for sex change operations for prison inmates. The brief was presented to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit concerning a case originating from Indiana.

Attorney General Wilson stated, “The fact that a prison inmate thinks a sex change should be paid for by taxpayers’ hard-earned money is ridiculous, and we’re asking the Court to block it.” He emphasized that taxpayers struggling with their own financial responsibilities should not bear the cost of such procedures.

The group of attorneys general argues that states have an obligation to ensure both security and healthcare for prisoners. They assert that this responsibility must be managed within the constraints of a budget funded by taxpayers, while addressing unique security concerns inherent in prisons.

In Indiana, a federal court had previously invalidated state legislation prohibiting the allocation of funds or resources for gender reassignment surgery for inmates. This ruling mandated Indiana "to take all reasonable actions to secure plaintiff gender-affirming surgery at the earliest opportunity." The coalition seeks to overturn this decision through their appeal.

The attorneys general further contend that the lower court's decision relied on care standards set by the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH), which they claim are inconsistent due to political influences affecting WPATH's recommendations.

Alabama led this initiative, joined by attorneys general from Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming alongside Attorney General Wilson.