Attorney General Bonta Supports State Laws Ensuring Minors Receive Protection and Medical Care

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra - Press Releases · October 29, 2026 · g5378538

October 29, 2026 Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta yesterday joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in submitting an amicus brief in International Partners for Ethical Care, Inc. v Ferguson , relating to Washington State’s laws surrounding runaway minors who seek refuge and care at licensed youth homeless shelters. In the brief, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that the collection of parents challenging these laws lacks proper legal standing to make their challenge in court. Attorney General Bonta and the coalition also highlight that the lawsuit would create preferential treatment for certain constitutional rights over others, and harms states’ legitimate interest to protect the health of their residents. “Minors fleeing from difficult home lives deserve to receive proper protection and access to crucial medical treatment,” said Attorney General Bonta. “State laws like those in Washington allow licensed youth homeless shelters to care for minors seeking refuge while acknowledging the important role parents play in their children’s lives. These laws are being challenged by individuals who have no direct stake in, and who are unaffected by, the challenged laws. California remains committed to safeguarding our youths’ physical and mental well-being while respecting parents’ rights. We will continue to work to empower healthy parent-child relationships and ensure all individuals facing difficult times receive support to help them thrive.” In November 2023, a collection of parents sued Washington in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, asserting that Washington’s laws governing parental notification when a minor seeks refuge at a licensed youth homeless shelter — Wash. Rev. Code § 71.34.530, Engrossed Senate Bill 5599, and Substitute House Bill 1406 — violate the coalition’s Constitutional rights by interfering with their ability to parent. The district court dismissed the coalition’s complaint, and when the coalition appealed, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court’s ruling. The case is now being considered by the U.S. Supreme Court. In the amicus brief, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition urge the Supreme Court to once again affirm the district court’s dismissal of the lawsuit. Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that: The suing parents have not provided adequate evidence to demonstrate that their complaint has legitimate legal standing. The parents’ complaint, if accepted, would constitute an exception to legal precedent that leads to parental rights being given preferential treatment over other Constitutional rights. The lawsuit threatens states’ legitimate interest to protect the well-being of their child residents. In filing the amicus brief, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Massachusetts, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Источник: California Attorney General Xavier Becerra - Press Releases