Colorado joins states suing over illegal conditions to programs that support comprehensive sexual health education

Sept. 26, 2025 (DENVER) – The Trump administration is threatening to pull funding for longstanding teen reproductive and sexual health education programs from states unless they remove language affirming young people’s gender identity.

In response, Colorado has joined a coalition of 16 states and the District of Columbia suing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over this cruel, arbitrary, and illegal effort to deny support to young people for purely political reasons.

Colorado receives approximately $880,000 annually through the federal Personal Responsibility Education Program, or PREP, and uses the funding to educate teenagers on pregnancy and prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections. The state also receives funding through the Title V Sexual Risk Avoidance Education program, which is similarly focused on sexual health education. Many states require materials for these programs have language inclusive of all young people regardless of their sex or gender identity. This practice, based on medical evidence and a commitment to the well-being of all students, is what the Trump administration calls “radical gender ideology.”

“If we want our kids to thrive, we need to provide them with proper sexual health education, as well as help them understand healthy relationships and positive attitudes about adolescent growth and development. HHS is restricting these grants without a clear statutory basis. This illegal action by the Trump administration will harm Colorado kids and that is why we are joining this lawsuit,” said Attorney General Weiser.

The complaint, which seeks to halt HHS before they carry out further terminations, was filed in the federal District Court of Oregon. The states argue that HHS’s actions violate the federal Administrative Procedure Act as well as the United States Constitution. Forcing states to use medically unsupported, incomplete PREP program content violates laws adopted by Congress. By unilaterally imposing these vague and nonsensical conditions, it also usurps Congress’ spending power and violates the separation of powers.

The attorneys general of Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington are leading the lawsuit and are joined by the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.

Read the lawsuit Washington v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (PDF).

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Media Contact:
Lawrence Pacheco
Chief Communications Officer
(720) 508-6553 office
lawrence.pacheco@coag.gov