Breaking! Top Stories of 2025 (TX)

Austin, TX – December 29, 2025: As 2025 draws to a close, it is a time of reflection for many, including Texas Values. As is our custom each year, we have created a list with some of the biggest headlines around the state and nation that happened in, or directly impacted, Texas.

Jonathan Saenz, President and Attorney for Texas Values and Texas Values Action, released the following statement:

“While this was a rough year with the loss of great leaders like Dr. James Dobson and Charlie Kirk, we would like to take a moment to recognize what an unbelievable year this has been for faith, family, & freedom values in Texas. With the incredible values-focused legislative victories to the long-awaited victorious court rulings, we couldn’t have asked for a better year. The momentum is on our side into 2026 and we look forward to what will come in the new year.”  

• Texas Ten Commandments Law (SB 10): The Texas Ten Commandments Law requires the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools at all public elementary and secondary schools in each classroom beginning this upcoming 2025–2026 school year. The bill specifies the exact wording of the Ten Commandments to ensure uniformity across schools and allows for privately donated materials. The Ten Commandments Law is currently undergoing litigation and has a schedule court hearing at the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on January 20, 2026. Texas Values will be present at the court hearing and will host a press conference. Learn more at TenCommandmentsTexas.com.  
• Texas Women’s Privacy Act (SB 8): The Texas Women’s Privacy Act gives clear guidelines to protect women in their private spaces like locker rooms, showers, bathrooms, domestic violence shelters, and prisons. The Texas Women’s Privacy Act, authored by Senator Mayes Middleton, passed in September during the 2nd Special Session with bipartisan support. After over a decade long battle, Texas is the 20th state in the nation to have a law that protects the privacy of women and girls. Learn more at ProtectWomensPrivacyTexas.com. 
• The Woman and Child Protection Act/Chemical Abortion Ban (HB 7): The Woman and Child Protection Act bans the illegal trafficking of abortion pills in the state of Texas.
• No Taxpayer Funds for Abortion Travel (SB 33): This law explicitly bans governmental, including local government entities from spending or appropriating public money for the purpose of assisting in the procurement of abortions or providing logistical support for such services. The City of Austin has been providing money to “abortion assistance” organizations for years which fund transportation (out of state), lodging, childcare, and other expenses for women seeking abortions out of state, in an attempt to circumvent current pro-life laws. The City of San Antonio is currently being sued for using tax-payer dollars to traffic women across state lines for abortions. This bill will make sure that life is protected in the state and women aren’t sent to obtain a dangerous procedure that is against the law in Texas.
• Women’s Bill of Rights/What is a Woman Bill (HB 229): The Women’s Bill of Rights establishes a legal definition of biological sex in Texas Government Code and mandates that all governmental entities collecting vital statistics or other data related to sex must classify individuals strictly as either “male” or “female” based on biological reproductive capacity. It relates to claims of discrimination where most transgender individuals abuse the law to gain access to women’s spaces. The Women’s Bill of Rights will make sure that women’s sports, private spaces, and opportunities are protected. Save Women’s Sports leaders Riley Gaines and Brooke Slusser strongly supported this bill. This bill received bipartisan support and is headed to Gov. Abbott’s desk and Gov. Abbott has already posted on social media that he will sign this new law. To learn more, visit TexasKnowsWhatAWomanIs.com/.
• Parents’ Bill of Rights (SB 12): The Parents’ Bill of Rights focuses on strengthening parental rights in public education. Key protections include:
  • Preventing public schools from infringing on parents’ rights to direct their child’s moral, religious, and educational upbringing
  • Prohibiting DEI hiring and training
  • Banning instruction and guidance on harmful sexual orientation and gender identity concepts in K-12 public schools
  • Prohibiting public schools from infringing on parents’ rights to make decisions regarding a child’s medical treatment
  • Sex Education is “opt in” not “opt out.” Requires public school districts to first have permission from parents before the school can teach their child Sex Education content. Sex education is not required at all under state law.
• No Harmful Books or Materials in School Libraries (SB 13): This law strengthens parental oversight in public school libraries and requires school districts to establish local school library advisory councils—composed mainly of parents not employed by the district—to provide recommendations on library material standards and access policies. The bill mandates that school boards (or these advisory councils, if established by parent petition) have ultimate authority over library content, including the approval, removal, or retention of books based on complaints and community values. This bill expands on HB 900 (2023), which prohibits harmful and explicit content in school libraries.
• Coach Kennedy/Prayer in Public Schools Bill (SB 11): The Coach Kennedy Law allows public schools to create a period of voluntary prayer or reading of the Bible. Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, 597 U.S. — (2022): also known as “The Coach Kennedy Supreme Court case” solidified the fact that teachers, coaches and school employees all have the constitutional right to pray on a public school campus. SB 965 (2025) codified the Kennedy decision in Texas.
• Appeals Court Upholds Texas Law Protecting Children from Sexual Performances: The New Orleans-based Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals handed the State of Texas a major win by overturning the ruling of a Houston federal judge who blocked Senate Bill 12, the law passed by the Texas Legislature to protect children from being exposed to sexualized content at drag queen shows. Texas Values was a leading organization fighting for passage of SB 12 to protect children during the 88^th Legislature, and also filed a legal amicus brief in support of the law. Learn more at ProtectKidsTexas.com. 
• Same-Sex Court Ruling by Texas Supremes: A Texas judge who has been fighting to uphold her sincerely held religious beliefs received a major victory. The Texas Supreme Court appears to have sided with Judge Diane Hensley who did not want to be forced to perform same-sex weddings. The Texas Supreme Court updated the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct with a comment clarifying it does not violate judicial rules to publicly refrain from performing wedding ceremonies against their religious beliefs. This very important official action by the Texas Supreme Court is timely and relevant because the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct in 2019 previously sanctioned and reprimanded Judge Diane Hensley for following her religious beliefs on the issue of same-sex marriage. Judge Hensley responded by filing a lawsuit to defend her religious freedom in court.  
• U. S. Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Protecting Kids from Porn: The U. S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law protecting minors from accessing pornography and explicit content online by requiring age-verification to access these sites. In 2023, Texas passed HB 1181 by Representative Matt Shaheen that requires pornographic and sexually explicit websites to verify that their users are 18 years of age or older and creates civil penalties for entities who intentionally violate the law by allowing minors to access sexually explicit material online. The adult entertainment non-profit, Free Speech Coalition sued claiming that the law violated their First Amendment rights.
• United States Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Case on “Save Women’s Sports”: The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari for two cases involving state laws that keep boys of girls’ sports. SCOTUS  has agreed to hear Little v. Hecox, a case involving a Save Women’s Sports law in Idaho and West Virginia v. B.P.J., a suit involving a boy who wanted to compete against other middle school girls but could no longer do so once West Virginia passed their Save Women’s Sports Act. Texas Values signed on to an amicus curiae brief for Little v Hecox. Texas Values will be present in the courtroom during the hearing on January 13, 2026. Learn more about Save Women’s Sports at SaveWomensSportsTexas.com/.
• New Framework for History Voted on at State Board of Education: With this new framework, kids will now learn how Texas has impacted the United States and the World chronologically, beginning in third grade.
• Texas Values University Launches: Texas Values University launched to the public earlier this year. Key leaders like Kelly Shackelford, Abby Johnson, Riley Gaines, Rick Green, and more have contributed to this online curriculum that will equip Texans to graduate to an advanced level of citizenship. This is the launch of “Phase 1” and Texas Values University will continue to expand in the coming months and years. Texas Values University is over two years in the making, and will be a signature project and resource offered by Texas Values, and will provide benefit to Texans for many years to come.
• Trump DOJ Dropped Charges Against Texas Child Sex Change Whistleblower, Dr. Eithan Haim: The U. S. Government lawyers (now under the Trump Administration) filed a Motion to Dismiss their indictment against Texas medical doctor, Eithan Haim. The charges were dropped after Dr. Haim was facing up to ten years in prison, for action related to being a whistleblower on child sex change procedures at Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH). The criminal charges were brought against Dr. Haim by the Biden Administration.

Texas Values will continue to fiercely advocate for policies relating to faith, family, and freedom. Texas Values law and policy team is available for comment. Contact Ashley at media@txvalues.org or 737-314-2450 (m) to schedule an interview.

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About Texas Values 

Texas Values is the largest statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to standing for faith, family, and freedom in Texas. More information is available at txvalues.org.