Texas Collects Data on Transgender License Changes Amid Policy Restrictions

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has compiled a list of 110 transgender individuals who sought to change the sex designation on their driver’s licenses between August 2024 and August 2025. This data collection occurred after Texas implemented restrictions that only allow changes to gender markers on licenses to correct clerical errors. The purpose of this list remains unclear, as the agency has not disclosed how the information will be used or whether it has been shared with other state entities.

Them.usThe state is making a list of transgender Texans. It’s using driver's licenses to help.

In recent years, Texas lawmakers have enacted several laws that restrict the rights of transgender individuals. Notably, two significant measures took effect this year: one defines “male” and “female” based on reproductive systems, while the other, known as the "bathroom bill," mandates that individuals use restrooms corresponding to their sex assigned at birth. This legislation has raised concerns about enforcement, as evidenced by reports of transgender individuals being asked for identification before accessing restrooms in public buildings.

The state is making a list of transgender Texans. It’s using driver's licenses to help.

Landon Richie, policy coordinator with the Transgender Education Network of Texas, expressed apprehension regarding the implications of the state collecting this data. He highlighted potential privacy violations and the risk that this information could be utilized to draft further legislation that undermines the rights of transgender Texans. Richie stated, “The state collecting this information raises a lot of red flags, not just in terms of people's privacy and ability to exist not under a magnifying glass.”

The state is making a list of transgender Texans. It’s using driver's licenses to help.

According to the Williams Institute at UCLA, approximately 161,000 transgender adults reside in Texas, constituting less than 1% of the state's population. Historically, transgender individuals could update their state IDs by obtaining a court order; however, recent policy changes have curtailed these options. Following the DPS's restrictions, the Texas health agency also blocked changes to birth certificates, further complicating the process for transgender individuals seeking to align their identification with their gender identity.

The state is making a list of transgender Texans. It’s using driver's licenses to help.

The Texas Department of Public Safety has not provided a clear rationale for the data collection or its intended use. An agency spokesperson did not respond to inquiries about the list's creation or its potential implications. Additionally, the Texas Attorney General's office has previously allowed the DPS to keep certain records regarding these policy changes confidential, limiting transparency.

The state is making a list of transgender Texans. It’s using driver's licenses to help.

There is a lack of clarity regarding the enforcement of the bathroom bill and how the DPS will utilize the collected data. Some applicants for gender marker changes were reportedly unaware of the new restrictions, indicating a gap in public communication about the policy changes. Furthermore, while the DPS has been instructed to forward requests for sex marker updates to a designated email, the agency has not disclosed how it differentiates between clerical corrections and requests from transgender individuals.

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• “The state of Texas collecting this information raises a lot of red flags, not just in terms of people’s privacy and ability to exist not under a magnifying glass,” — Landon Richie, Policy Coordinator, Transgender Education Network of Texas.

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