{
 "license": "CC BY 4.0",
 "license_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
 "slug": "texas",
 "name": "Texas",
 "kind": "us_state",
 "code": "TX",
 "url": "/usa/texas",
 "page": "https://pornblocked.com/usa/texas",
 "law_status": "in_effect",
 "law_label": "Law in effect",
 "law": "HB 1181",
 "law_name": "HB 1181",
 "citation": "Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code ch. 129B (§§ 129B.001-129B.006); Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., ch. 676",
 "law_url": "https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/HB01181F.htm",
 "signed": "2023-06-12",
 "effective": "2023-09-01",
 "regulator": null,
 "enforcement": "Attorney General (civil penalties and injunctions).",
 "pornhub": "blocked",
 "pornhub_label": "Pornhub blocked",
 "pornhub_since": "2024-03-14",
 "pornhub_qualifier": null,
 "answer": "Yes. Pornhub has blocked Texas since March 14, 2024. Texas law (HB 1181) took effect September 1, 2023, and the US Supreme Court upheld it on June 27, 2025.",
 "summary": "Texas has required age verification on websites where more than a third of the material is sexual material harmful to minors since September 1, 2023 (HB 1181), and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld that requirement in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton on June 27, 2025. Pornhub and other Aylo sites have blocked Texas since March 2024, and the Attorney General's 2024 penalty suit against Aylo resumed in June 2025. A separate app store age-verification law (SB 2420) has been enforceable since June 2026 while its appeal is pending.",
 "related_laws": [
  {
   "type": "app_store_av",
   "name": "SB 2420 (App Store Accountability Act)",
   "effective": "2026-01-01",
   "status": "enforceable since 2026-06-04: district court enjoined it 2025-12-23 (CCIA v. Paxton; SEAT v. Paxton); 5th Cir. administrative stay 2026-05-28 and stay pending appeal 2026-06-04; Supreme Court declined to vacate the stay 2026-07-06; 5th Cir. merits appeal (Nos. 25-51073, 26-50001) argued 2026-08-04 before Judges Stewart, Graves and Wilson, decision pending"
  },
  {
   "type": "other",
   "name": "HB 581 (2025)",
   "effective": "2025-09-01",
   "status": "in effect (signed 2025-06-20)"
  },
  {
   "type": "warning_label",
   "name": "HB 1181, § 129B.004 (sexual materials health warnings)",
   "effective": null,
   "status": "enjoined: the Fifth Circuit (2024-03-07) affirmed the injunction against the compelled warnings; not before the Supreme Court"
  },
  {
   "type": "social_media_minors",
   "name": "HB 18 (SCOPE Act, 2023)",
   "effective": "2024-09-01",
   "status": "core provisions enjoined (orders 2024-08-30 and 2025-02-07); Texas appeal pending at 5th Cir."
  }
 ],
 "pending_bills": [],
 "litigation": [
  {
   "case": "Free Speech Coalition, Inc. v. Colmenero (later Free Speech Coalition, Inc. v. Paxton), No. 1:23-cv-00917",
   "court": "U.S. District Court, W.D. Tex. (Judge David Alan Ezra)",
   "status": "Preliminary injunction against the whole law (2023-08-31), later vacated as to age verification. After the Supreme Court's 2025 ruling the case continues on claims the Court did not resolve, such as excessive fines and due process (Bloomberg Law, July 2025).",
   "date": "2023-08-31",
   "url": "https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67665685/free-speech-coalition-inc-v-paxton/"
  },
  {
   "case": "Free Speech Coalition, Inc. v. Paxton, No. 23-50627, 95 F.4th 263",
   "court": "U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Cir.",
   "status": "Injunction against the age-verification requirement vacated (rational-basis review); injunction against the compelled health warnings (§ 129B.004) affirmed",
   "date": "2024-03-07",
   "url": "https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/23/23-50627-CV0.pdf"
  },
  {
   "case": "Free Speech Coalition, Inc. v. Paxton, No. 23-1122, 606 U.S. 461",
   "court": "U.S. Supreme Court",
   "status": "Affirmed 6-3 (Thomas, J.; Kagan, J., dissenting). Age verification for sites with sexual material harmful to minors only incidentally burdens adults' protected speech, so intermediate scrutiny applies, and HB 1181's age-verification requirement survives it.",
   "date": "2025-06-27",
   "url": "https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/23-1122_3e04.pdf"
  }
 ],
 "enforcement_actions": [
  {
   "name": "State of Texas v. Aylo Global Entertainment et al.",
   "body": "Texas Attorney General, in Travis County district court",
   "status": "Attorney General suit filed 2024-02-26 seeking an injunction, about $1.6 million and $10,000 per day for failing to verify ages. Proceedings were frozen pending the Supreme Court case; a state judge lifted the freeze on 2025-06-27 (Bloomberg Law). No outcome reported.",
   "date": "2024-02-26",
   "url": "https://www.courthousenews.com/articles/texas-sues-major-porn-distributor-in-bid-to-enforce-content-warning-law"
  }
 ],
 "timeline": [
  {
   "date": "2023-06-12",
   "type": "signed",
   "text": "Gov. Greg Abbott signs HB 1181.",
   "source": "https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=88R&Bill=HB1181"
  },
  {
   "date": "2023-08-31",
   "type": "ruling",
   "text": "A federal district court preliminarily enjoins HB 1181 in Free Speech Coalition v. Colmenero.",
   "source": "https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67665685/free-speech-coalition-inc-v-paxton/"
  },
  {
   "date": "2023-09-01",
   "type": "effective",
   "text": "HB 1181's effective date; the district court injunction issued the day before kept it from being enforced until the Fifth Circuit stayed that injunction.",
   "source": "https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=88R&Bill=HB1181"
  },
  {
   "date": "2024-02-26",
   "type": "lawsuit",
   "text": "The Texas Attorney General sues Aylo in state court for failing to verify ages, seeking about $1.6 million plus $10,000 per day.",
   "source": "https://www.courthousenews.com/articles/texas-sues-major-porn-distributor-in-bid-to-enforce-content-warning-law"
  },
  {
   "date": "2024-03-07",
   "type": "ruling",
   "text": "The Fifth Circuit vacates the injunction against the age-verification requirement and upholds the injunction against the compelled health warnings.",
   "source": "https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/23/23-50627-CV0.pdf"
  },
  {
   "date": "2024-03-14",
   "type": "platform_block",
   "text": "Pornhub blocks visitors in Texas.",
   "source": "https://www.axios.com/2024/03/14/pornhub-texas-ban-age-verification"
  },
  {
   "date": "2025-06-27",
   "type": "ruling",
   "text": "The U.S. Supreme Court upholds HB 1181's age-verification requirement 6-3 in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, applying intermediate scrutiny.",
   "source": "https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/23-1122_3e04.pdf"
  },
  {
   "date": "2025-06-27",
   "type": "ruling",
   "text": "A Texas state judge lifts the freeze on the Attorney General's penalty suit against Aylo.",
   "source": "https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/pornhub-texas-return-possible-after-high-court-age-check-ruling"
  },
  {
   "date": "2025-09-01",
   "type": "amendment",
   "text": "HB 581 takes effect, extending chapter 129B's age-verification duty to sites and apps that offer tools for creating AI-generated sexual material.",
   "source": "https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/analysis/html/HB00581E.htm"
  }
 ],
 "confidence": "high",
 "last_verified": "2026-10-26",
 "sources": [
  {
   "title": "Free Speech Coalition, Inc. v. Paxton, No. 23-1122 (U.S. June 27, 2025), slip opinion",
   "url": "https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/23-1122_3e04.pdf",
   "type": "court",
   "date": "2025-06-27",
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "Free Speech Coalition, Inc. v. Paxton, No. 23-50627 (5th Cir. Mar. 7, 2024), opinion",
   "url": "https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/23/23-50627-CV0.pdf",
   "type": "court",
   "date": "2024-03-07",
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "Free Speech Coalition, Inc. v. Paxton, No. 1:23-cv-00917 (W.D. Tex.), docket (CourtListener)",
   "url": "https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67665685/free-speech-coalition-inc-v-paxton/",
   "type": "court",
   "date": null,
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "Students Engaged in Advancing Texas v. Paxton, No. 25-51073, c/w No. 26-50001 (5th Cir. June 4, 2026), published order granting stay pending appeal",
   "url": "https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/25/25-51073-CV0.pdf",
   "type": "court",
   "date": "2026-06-04",
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "Students Engaged in Advancing Texas v. Paxton, No. 25-51073 (5th Cir.), docket (CourtListener)",
   "url": "https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72096116/students-v-paxton/",
   "type": "court",
   "date": null,
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "Computer & Communications Industry Association v. Paxton, No. 26-50001 (5th Cir.), docket (CourtListener)",
   "url": "https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72099057/computer-communications-industry-association-v-ken-paxton/",
   "type": "court",
   "date": null,
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "HB 1181 (88R) bill history, Texas Legislature Online",
   "url": "https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=88R&Bill=HB1181",
   "type": "legislature",
   "date": null,
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "HB 1181 (88R) enrolled text, Texas Legislature Online",
   "url": "https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/HB01181F.htm",
   "type": "legislature",
   "date": null,
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "HB 581 (89R) bill analysis, engrossed version, Texas Legislature Online",
   "url": "https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/analysis/html/HB00581E.htm",
   "type": "legislature",
   "date": null,
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 129B.006 (Texas.Public.Law)",
   "url": "https://texas.public.law/statutes/tex._civ._practice_&_remedies_code_section_129b.006",
   "type": "statute",
   "date": null,
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "Pornhub blocks access in Texas amid legal battle (Axios)",
   "url": "https://www.axios.com/2024/03/14/pornhub-texas-ban-age-verification",
   "type": "news",
   "date": "2024-03-14",
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "Texas sues major porn distributor in bid to enforce content warning law (Courthouse News)",
   "url": "https://www.courthousenews.com/articles/texas-sues-major-porn-distributor-in-bid-to-enforce-content-warning-law",
   "type": "news",
   "date": "2024-02-27",
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "Pornhub Texas Return Possible After High Court Age Check Ruling (Bloomberg Law)",
   "url": "https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/pornhub-texas-return-possible-after-high-court-age-check-ruling",
   "type": "news",
   "date": "2025-07-17",
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "Sorry, No Pornhub Access in 25 States and 3 Countries (PCMag, via Yahoo News)",
   "url": "https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/sorry-no-pornhub-access-25-211136509.html",
   "type": "news",
   "date": "2026-08-28",
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "Supreme Court Clears the Way: Texas's App Store Accountability Act Is Now Enforceable (InfoLawGroup)",
   "url": "https://www.infolawgroup.com/insights/2026/7/7/supreme-court-clears-the-way-texass-app-store-accountability-act-is-now-enforceable",
   "type": "news",
   "date": "2026-07-07",
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "CCIA v. Paxton (W.D. Tex.) litigation page (CCIA)",
   "url": "https://ccianet.org/litigation/ccia-v-paxton-w-d-tex/",
   "type": "other",
   "date": null,
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "Texas App Store Accountability Act (SB 2420) tracker (Texas Data Law)",
   "url": "https://texasdatalaw.com/tracker/sb-2420/",
   "type": "tracker",
   "date": "2026-10-13",
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  },
  {
   "title": "Axios Houston: Pornhub pushes for a return to Texas' web browsers",
   "url": "https://www.axios.com/local/houston/2026/08/03/pornhub-pushes-for-a-return-to-texas-web-browsers",
   "type": "news",
   "date": "2026-08-03",
   "accessed": "2026-10-26"
  }
 ]
}