Litigation filed by Florida students and parents challenging the legality of the state’s newly passed Parental Rights in Education law received some encouragement last week from an amicus brief filed by attorneys general in California and 18 other states.

California Attorney Rob Bonta joined the coalition supporting the lawsuit Equality Florida v. Florida State Board of Education. The amicus brief, which was filed Dec. 22, calls on the federal court in the Northern District of Florida to advance the litigation and argues that LGBTQ youth will see their mental health and educational experiences deteriorate as a result of the new law.

The law bans instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity “in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”