A federal judge in Arkansas has declared the state’s recently enacted prohibition on gender-affirming care for transgender minors as unconstitutional.

The ban, which sought to restrict doctors from providing puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and surgeries to individuals under 18, was struck down by the judge. The decision comes after the state’s Republican attorney general expressed his intention to appeal, although his chances of success in the appeals court appear uncertain due to a prior ruling against similar legislation.

Arkansas’s law, pushed forward by the Republican-led legislature, not only prohibited medical professionals from offering gender-affirming care to minors but also forbade them from making referrals to other healthcare providers who could provide such treatments. Notably, the ban even extended to surgeries, despite the fact that surgical interventions are typically not performed on individuals under the age of 18. The law managed to override a veto from former Governor Asa Hutchinson, also a Republican.

Following the federal judge’s decision, the state’s attorney general, aligned with the ban’s proponents, vowed to pursue an appeal. However, the path ahead may prove challenging for the attorney general as the appeals court has previously ruled against similar legislation. The existence of this precedent raises doubts about the prospects of a successful appeal.