US judge again blocks Texas law targeting drag acts as unconstitutional

Aug 26 (Reuters) - A federal ‌judge on Tuesday ​again ​blocked a Texas law restricting public drag performances, ruling for a second time that the legislation passed in the heavily ‌Republican state violated the U.S. Constitution's free speech protections.

"For those who ⁠find such activities as described in this case offensive, the solution is relatively simple ... ‌just don't go," U.S. District ‌Judge David Hittner wrote in his opinion — the second time the Texas-based judge has found the measure in violation of the Constitution's First ​Amendment.

The law, Texas Senate Bill 12, had previously been tossed by Hittner in 2023 but was allowed to take effect in 2026 during ⁠an appeal.

In his Tuesday ruling, Hittner wrote that the law is "unconstitutionally vague," adding that performers ranging ​from Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley to Miley Cyrus could have been subject to penalties under the law if ​their performances were seen as "erotic."

Texas Attorney General ‌Ken Paxton's office had defended the law, which, among other restrictions, banned "the exhibition of sexual gesticulations using accessories or ⁠prosthetics that exaggerate male or female sexual characteristics" in public, or in venues where people under 18 may see it.

Paxton, a Republican who is currently running for ⁠the U.S. Senate, called the ruling "a profoundly flawed decision that endangers our children and ​is an affront to Texas values."

Opponents of the law criticized it as too broad and said it was explicitly intended to target LGBT performers.

“Today’s decision confirms that the ‌Legislature’s attempt to ban drag performances was unconstitutional from start to finish,” Brian Klosterboer, senior staff attorney at ‌the ACLU of Texas, which represented the plaintiffs, said in a statement. "Drag has ⁠a rich history as a ‌refuge of joy and ​liberation for countless Texans, and it’s not going anywhere."

(Reporting by Christian Martinez in Los Angeles; Editing by Scott Malone and ‌Lisa Shumaker)

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