The Real-World Cost of SB 12: Fear, Uncertainty and Lost Opportunity
By Tammi Wallace
Co-Founder, President & CEO
Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce
When the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce joined the lawsuit challenging Senate Bill 12 as a plaintiff in August 2023, we warned that the law would hurt businesses, nonprofits, performers, and community organizations across Texas.
Nearly three years later, a powerful short documentary from Texas Standard shows what that harm looks like in the lives and livelihoods of Texans.
Reported and produced by Patricia Lim, the video takes viewers to Laredo, where drag performer Serene Fantasea, Pride organizers, entertainment producers, and local business owners are navigating the uncertainty created by SB 12.
The Impact Extends Beyond the Stage
SB 12 restricts certain “sexually oriented performances” on public property or in the presence of minors. After being blocked for more than two years, the law became enforceable in March 2026 following an appeals court ruling.
The Texas Standard report makes clear that the consequences of the law do not begin with an arrest, prosecution, or fine. Harm occurs when fear and uncertainty begin shaping people’s decisions.
In Laredo, promoters became hesitant to host Serene’s EP release. Venues grew more cautious about how they presented and advertised drag performances. Serene ultimately found a venue willing to host the event, but she modified parts of her adult performance to protect the business.
The documentary also introduces viewers to Sandra Rocha-Taylor, owner of Frontera Beer and Wine Garden, an LGBTQ+-allied business. Concerned about the potential consequences of hosting performances, she contacted local law enforcement to ask whether she could be arrested if someone complained.
These are not abstract concerns. They affect bookings, revenue, advertising, creative decisions, business operations, and whether community events move forward at all.
Why the Chamber Became a Plaintiff
In August 2023, the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber joined the lawsuit challenging SB 12 as a plaintiff, alongside two other Texas LGBTQ+ chambers, organizations, and individual performers. The lawsuit was filed by the Texas Civil Rights Project on behalf of the plaintiffs.
At the time, we warned that the law “jeopardizes [our members’] revenue and impacts their operations.” We also raised concerns that its vague language would place additional burdens on small businesses and nonprofits already managing the day-to-day challenges of operating their organizations.
The experiences documented in Laredo demonstrate exactly why the Chamber took action.
A law does not have to be formally enforced to influence behavior. When performers censor their work, venues hesitate to host events, business owners fear complaints, and organizers reconsider programming, the law is already affecting economic opportunity and community life.
That impact is especially significant in places where LGBTQ+ gathering spaces are limited. Following the closure of Laredo’s last gay bar in December 2025, LGBTQ+-allied businesses have become even more important as venues for performances, celebrations, and connection.
Our Members Deserve Better
The Chamber exists at the intersection of business and community. We became a plaintiff in this lawsuit because our members deserve to operate their businesses, produce events, create art, and bring people together without fear caused by a vague and harmful law.
SB 12 affects more than drag performers. Its consequences reach the venues that host them, the producers who create events, the nonprofits that organize community celebrations and fundraisers, and the surrounding businesses that benefit when people gather and participate in the local economy.
This is also why elections and civic engagement matter. The people we elect make decisions that directly affect our businesses, our livelihoods, and our ability to live and work authentically. Staying informed, voting, and making our voices heard are essential to building a Texas where every person and business has the opportunity to thrive.
We encourage our members, partners, and community to watch the Texas Standard documentary and hear directly from the Texans navigating this law.
Their experiences are a powerful reminder of what is at stake—and why the Chamber continues to stand with our members and the broader LGBTQ+ community.
We belong here. We will not be silenced. And we will not stop working toward a Texas where LGBTQ+ people and businesses can live, work, create, and thrive.
Watch and Learn More
Watch: Laredo’s drag performers and LGBTQIA+ allies navigate restrictive new law in Texas
Read the Texas Standard report: Laredo’s drag performers, bar owners and allies navigate restrictive new law in Texas
Learn about the Chamber’s role in the lawsuit: Chamber Joins as Plaintiff in Lawsuit Challenging Drag Ban Law