Breaking! Governor Greg Abbott Signs Texas Women’s Privacy Act into Law 

Austin, TX – September 22, 2025: Today, Governor Greg Abbott signed The Texas Women’s Privacy Act, SB 8 by Senator Mayes Middleton into law. After almost a decade of attempts, Texas finally has a law that protects women and girls in their most private, intimate spaces such as locker rooms, showers, bathrooms, prisons, and domestic violence shelters.  

Mary Elizabeth Castle, Director of Government Relations said:

“Today Governor Abbott made a historic move in making sure that no woman or little girl has to look over her shoulder with fear when she is in the locker room, restroom, or shower because a man has been allowed to wrongfully enter that space. After more than 7 years, Texas can finally claim victory on the fight to protect women and girls privacy. I anticipate full cooperation from school districts, correctional facilities, and governmental entities when the law goes into effect later this year. You don’t mess with Texas women and their dignity”.

Texas Values led the fight to advance legislation in 2017 that would keep sex-separated spaces based on biological sex. While that legislation known as “The Privacy Act” was not successful in 2017, Texas Values had worked to see legislation passed to protect private spaces. Since 2017, many incidents across the state of Texas and involving Texas women have occurred including incidents in public schools, notably at Round Rock High School and an incident involving Texas athlete Brooke Slusser who shared a living space, locker room, and hotel room with a man who concealed his true sex while playing on the girls’ volleyball team at San Jose State University. 

Texas Values has also been instrumental in passing laws to protect women and girls’ sports in 2021 and 2023. Additionally, Texas Values helped lead efforts on HB 229 by Representative Ellen Troxclair, the Women’s Bill of Rights which defines “male” and “female” in state law.

Many state and national organizations were supportive of the Texas Women’s Privacy Act including: AFA Action, American Principles Project, Concerned Women for America of Texas, Patriot Mobile, Texas Family Project, Texas Eagle Forum, Moms for America Action, Independent Women’s Voice, Citizens Defending Freedom, Alliance Defending Freedom Action, and ICONS (Independent Council on Women’s Sports).

To learn more about the Texas Women’s Privacy Act please visit https://protectwomensprivacytexas.com/.

Texas Values law & policy team is available for comment. Contact Ashley to schedule an interview at afordinal@txvalues.org or 737-314-2450 (m).