Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an investigation into the Austin Independent School District after receiving a complaint alleging that a biological male used girls’ restrooms and locker rooms in violation of state law.
Paxton’s office sent Austin ISD a formal notice after a citizen reported that district officials knew a biological male had used girls’ private spaces but allowed it to continue. The notice warns that the district could face a $5,000 penalty for each day the alleged violation continues.
The dispute centers on Senate Bill 8, the Texas Women’s Privacy Act. The law requires state agencies and political subdivisions to designate multiple-occupancy private spaces — including restrooms and locker rooms — for use by only one sex, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
The law requires public schools, charter schools, universities, and other state entities to take “every reasonable step” to prevent members of the opposite sex from entering those spaces.
Paxton’s office said the notice satisfies a statutory requirement before filing a lawsuit. Austin ISD now has 15 days to correct the alleged violation before the attorney general can pursue legal action.
“I will work tirelessly to hold Austin ISD accountable if it does not stop its unlawful, woke policy of allowing men to invade women’s spaces,” Paxton said in a statement. “The law is clear that political subdivisions in Texas must not allow biological men to use girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms, yet Austin ISD has intentionally chosen to do that in violation of S.B. 8. I will explore every legal avenue to protect our students and ensure that women’s spaces are protected from mentally ill men who want to pretend they’re girls.”
The complaint appears to have originated through a reporting portal Paxton’s office launched last year.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Paxton created the online complaint portal in December after the Texas Women’s Privacy Act took effect earlier that month. The portal allows residents to report cases where state agencies or political subdivisions allegedly allow members of the opposite sex to enter single-sex spaces such as restrooms, locker rooms, or changing rooms.
At the time, Paxton encouraged residents to report potential violations.
“I encourage anyone who believes a state agency or political subdivision has violated S.B. 8 to submit a complaint via the form on my website,” Paxton said. “Together, we will uproot and bring justice to any state agency or political subdivision that opens the door for men to violate women’s privacy, dignity, and safety.”
Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Texas Women’s Privacy Act into law in September. The measure took effect on December 4, 2025.
The law applies to political subdivisions and state agencies, including public schools, open-enrollment charter schools, and institutions of higher education.
For more in-depth prior coverage on this story, see this report from The Dallas Express: