Attorney General Todd Rokita announced on May 4 the voluntary dismissal of Indiana’s claims in a multistate lawsuit that challenged the Biden Administration’s expansion of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
The decision follows actions by the Trump Administration to reverse changes made under President Biden, which had redefined “disability” under Section 504 to include gender dysphoria. According to Rokita, this change risked diverting federal resources from individuals with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. The lawsuit aimed to remove gender dysphoria as a recognized disability and restore what Rokita described as the law’s original purpose.
“Section 504 exists to protect Americans with real disabilities — not to advance a political agenda. As the father of a child with Angelman Syndrome, I will always fight to strengthen protections and resources for Hoosiers with disabilities and their families. Our goal in this lawsuit was to remove President Biden’s ridiculous addition of gender dysphoria as a disability, which risked jeopardizing services for those who truly need them most. While we remain concerned about federal overreach into traditional state matters, President Trump’s decisive action has resolved the gender dysphoria issue. With that core victory secured, we have dismissed our claims. My office will continue closely monitoring any future federal actions that threaten proper support for individuals with disabilities,” said Rokita.
Tom Crishon, Chief Legal Officer of The Arc of Indiana, supported Rokita’s decision: “We are grateful to Attorney General Rokita and his staff for the extensive time and careful attention they devoted to hearing our concerns over the past several months on this issue. Their openness to listening thoughtfully to self-advocates, families, and the broader disability community showed a genuine commitment to understanding every perspective before making this final decision. After our conversations, we strongly believe the approach his office took in evaluating this lawsuit reflects a thoughtful and deliberate process — one that best protects the rights of all involved while faithfully upholding the core principles of Section 504.”
Indiana joined Texas in leading opposition against changes made during Biden’s presidency regarding eligibility under Section 504 but now considers its objectives met after recent policy reversals.
Rokita said his office would continue monitoring any future federal actions related to support for individuals with disabilities.
