Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion in September 2026 stating that school district police departments cannot serve as the appropriate law enforcement agency to receive or investigate suspected child abuse or neglect reports. The ruling follows Senate Bill 571, which took effect in 2025 and defines appropriate law enforcement agencies as the Department of Public Safety, municipal police departments, county sheriff's offices, and county constable's offices.
Where
Statewide
When
September 16, 2026 (opinion issued); article published October 7-8, 2026
Sources
Reported by 2 outlets
Taxes and money
None stated in sources.
Who's involved
Ken PaxtonTexas Attorney General
Paul BettencourtState Senator, authored Senate Bill 571
Larry BaimbridgeSpring Branch ISD Police Chief
Sean TeareHarris County District Attorney
William DurningFormer Woodlands High School wrestling coach
Steve TothTexas State Representative
David KwokUniversity of Houston Law Center official
The facts
Attorney General opinion KP-0528 issued September 16 says school district police do not qualify as appropriate law enforcement agencies under Texas Family Code Chapter 261.2
Senate Bill 571, effective in 2025, defines appropriate law enforcement agencies as Department of Public Safety, municipal police, county sheriffs, and county constables.12Stated by 2 sources
School district police retain duty to report suspected abuse to outside authorities and assist external law enforcement.2
Conroe ISD transferred investigative file on former Woodlands High School wrestling coach William Durning to Montgomery County Sheriff's Office on September 23.2
District police investigation of Durning began April 27 and found no chargeable offense.2
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Larry Baimbridge, Spring Branch ISD Police Chief His agency has capacity, investigators, and training to conduct investigations quickly and fairly.1
Larry Baimbridge New law makes things difficult; outside agencies stretched thin; could lead to longer investigations and educators unable to return to classrooms.1
Paul Bettencourt, State Senator Investigations could take longer under new law, but goal is to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure fair investigations.1
Paul Bettencourt In some sections of state, people not reporting because worried about who they report to; board members and superintendents indicted on similar issues.1
David Kwok, University of Houston Law Center Objectivity was central to opinion; concern is whether third-party accountability exists and transparency about what occurs in school system.1
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
School district police departments can't take child abuse reports, new Texas Attorney General opinion says
These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.
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