Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday that his office has opened investigations into 29 independent school districts across the state to confirm compliance with state laws mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms and requiring board votes on prayer time.

The probe targets districts including Austin ISD, Houston ISD, Dallas ISD, Fort Worth ISD, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, North East ISD, El Paso ISD, Corpus Christi ISD, Alamo Heights ISD, and others such as Abilene, Amarillo, Beaumont, Brownsville, Conroe, Dripping Springs, Galveston, Lackland, Lake Travis, Lubbock, McAllen, Northside, Plano, San Angelo, Texarkana, United, Victoria, Waco, and Wichita Falls ISDs.

Paxton's office has demanded documents from these districts regarding the display or absence of the Ten Commandments under Senate Bill 10, as well as proof of school board votes on prayer implementation under Senate Bill 11. Both laws were passed during the 89th Texas Legislative Session in 2025 and took effect on September 1, 2025.

Senate Bill 10 requires each public elementary and secondary school classroom to display a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in a conspicuous place. The display must meet specific size and legibility standards, at least 36 inches wide by 22 inches tall, and contain only the prescribed text of the commandments. Schools must accept privately donated copies that comply and are not required to purchase them themselves. Public secondary schools are exempt from purchasing but must display compliant donations.

Senate Bill 11 mandates that independent school district boards of trustees vote on whether to authorize a designated time for prayer and reading from the Bible or other religious texts.

Paxton emphasized the importance of these measures in a statement. "I will always fight for students’ fundamental right to pray in our schools and work to ensure that Texas kids can learn from the Ten Commandments daily," he said. He added, "Texas school districts must comply with Texas law by displaying the Ten Commandments and taking a school board vote regarding the implementation of prayer time in schools. I will never stop defending our students’ religious freedom and the moral foundation of our nation."

The investigations follow a series of legal victories for the state. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld the constitutionality of SB 10 in April 2026, allowing its statewide enforcement after earlier challenges and temporary injunctions. Paxton previously sued districts, including Galveston, Round Rock, and Leander ISDs in late 2025 for refusing to display the Ten Commandments, some of which are now included in this broader probe.

In August 2025, Paxton directed Texas schools not subject to injunctions to comply with SB 10 by displaying compliant donations. The laws, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, aim to incorporate foundational moral teachings into public education, amid ongoing debates over religion in schools similar to those in Louisiana.

No response deadlines were specified in the announcement, but the attorney general's office will review submitted documents to determine further enforcement actions.