AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas State Preservation Board have asked a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit from three women who challenged one-year bans from the state Capitol following an August 2025 anti-redistricting protest.
The women sued in May after authorities arrested them on misdemeanor trespassing allegations during the protest. The Travis County Attorney’s Office later declined to prosecute the charges, but the Department of Public Safety kept criminal trespass notices in place that barred the women from the Capitol complex.
An assistant attorney general filed Abbott’s motion Monday, arguing that the notices expired Aug. 19, leaving the court with no current restrictions to block or rescind.
“The CTNs expired by their own terms … that expiration moots Plaintiffs’ requested relief,” the motion states.
The plaintiffs also seek an injunction preventing authorities from issuing similar bans in the future. They argue that the restrictions could interfere with their work as political party officials and organizers and limit their ability to participate in public meetings at the Capitol.
Abbott’s motion argues that the women have not shown a “real and immediate threat” that DPS will issue new notices against them.
The motion also argues that an injunction against Abbott or the Preservation Board would not prevent future notices because DPS personnel, rather than Abbott or the board, issued the original notices.
The defendants received nearly three months of extensions to respond to the lawsuit. The court initially set a June 2 deadline, later moved it to July 2 and then Aug. 31.
The lawsuit remains pending. KXAN reported that it reached out to the plaintiffs for comment on the motion.
