Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will announce a lawsuit against the federal government on Wednesday over the Obama administration’s guidance on transgender students.
Paxton will make the announcement at a press conference at 2 P.M. local time.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will hold a press conference in Austin Wednesday to discuss what he calls a major lawsuit filed by Texas.
It is believed the state will go to court to challenge the Obama administration over its controversial school bathroom directive. Governor Greg Abbott seemed to confirm that speculation on Twitter.
“Texas will sue to stop Obama’s transgender directive to schools. Thanks @KenPaxtonTX #tcot #txlege #PJNET,” he wrote.
Texas will sue to stop Obama's transgender directive to schools. Thanks @KenPaxtonTX #tcot #txlege #PJNET https://t.co/O7GjxvolD2
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 25, 2016
The suit is an attempt to ensure Texas can ignore the federal government’s directive on transgender bathroom policies. The guidance, emailed to schools across the country earlier this month, does not carry the force of law but delivered the message that denying students access to the bathroom that best matches their gender identity could come at the price of losing federal dollars.
The legal challenge follows weeks of consternation in Texas over which bathrooms transgender students and adults should use, including insistence from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick the legislature tackle that issue next legislative session.
North Carolina also announced it would sue the federal government over the administration’s guidance on transgender students, a move which triggered the Department of Justice to countersue the Tar Heel State.
Paxton is currently under indictment on charges of securities fraud.
