November 1, 2025
The proposed closure would leave Texas as the only state without an agency dedicated to enforcing housing discrimination laws.
Texas lawmakers are advancing legislation that would eliminate the Texas Workforce Commission’s Civil Rights Division, the only state office responsible for investigating housing, employment and public accommodation discrimination claims. If the bill becomes law, Texas would stand alone as the only state in the U.S. without a civil rights enforcement agency — a shift that critics say is driven not by cost-cutting, but by the political war on diversity, equity and inclusion.
Opponents of the shutdown warn that the change would gut the state’s ability to uphold fair housing laws and force victims of discrimination to rely solely on a slower federal process. “This is not just another political debate,” said Democratic state Rep. Ron Reynolds.
“We are talking about dismantling the entity that protects Texans from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.”
Civil rights groups argue that the real goal is to weaken legal protections for marginalized communities. Gary Bledsoe, president of the Texas NAACP, called the move dangerous and historically regressive.
“This commission exists because people in this state were historically denied basic rights,” he said. “Eliminating it sends a message that those protections are no longer a priority.”
The push to dissolve the division comes in the middle of a sweeping effort by Republican leaders in Texas to roll back DEI programs across public and private institutions. Last year, the state banned DEI offices in public colleges and universities. Attorney General Ken Paxton has also threatened corporations over hiring policies that prioritize diversity. For critics, the pattern is clear: civil rights enforcement is being reframed as a political inconvenience.
The proposal’s supporters claim the state can comply with federal law without a standalone office, and that the federal government can handle complaints directly. But housing advocates say that ignores the reality of the system. Without a state-level agency, discrimination complaints that once took months could take years, leaving renters and homebuyers with no immediate recourse.
“This is not about efficiency,” Reynolds said. “You can call it efficiency, you can call it reform — but at its core, this is an attack on civil rights enforcement in Texas.”
The bill has gained momentum in a Legislature where Republicans hold decisive power, though it has faced strong pushback from legal groups, housing advocates, and civil rights organizations. If passed, it would take effect in September.
“We are stripping away the safeguards that were put in place because people were denied equal treatment under the law,” Bledsoe warned. “History will not look kindly on this moment.”
A final vote is expected before the end of the legislative session.
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