A U.S. district judge granted a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking enforcement of key provisions of Senate Bill 12 in the Houston, Katy and Plano independent school districts while the case proceeds.
U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge, who was nominated by President Donald Trump in 2019, issued the diversity, equity, and inclusion duties," and limits on classroom instruction or programming related to sexual orientation or gender identity.
The order also bars districts from enforcing rules prohibiting employees from assisting students with what the law defines as "social transitioning."
The injunction applies only to the Houston, Katy and Plano districts.
In a First Amendment and the Equal Access Act.
"This is a critical victory amidst a surge of state-sponsored discrimination and censorship of vital conversations about race, gender identity, and sexual orientation," Brian Klosterboer, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Texas, said in a Greg Abbott signed SB 12 into law in June 2025, and it took effect Sept. 1.
Eskridge ordered the three districts to notify the court within 14 days whether they plan to defend SB 12 or seek representation from the Texas Attorney General’s office.
The injunction remains in effect while the case continues in federal court.