Supreme Court Allows Texas Parental Consent App Law to Proceed

Why it matters locally: While the immediate impact is on Texas, this Supreme Court decision sets a precedent that could influence future attempts by the Florida Legislature to enact similar parental consent laws regarding app downloads and in-app purchases for minors.

The Supreme Court on Monday declined requests to reinstate lower court orders that had blocked a Texas law. The law requires app stores to verify user ages and obtain parental consent for minors downloading apps or making in-app purchases. The court's decision allows Texas to enforce these requirements. Organizations including a youth advocacy group and a trade association had sought to prevent the law's implementation. The justices issued brief, unsigned orders denying these requests, with no public dissenting opinions. In related developments, the Supreme Court's recently concluded 2025-26 term prompted varied reactions from legislators. Roll Call reported that both Republicans and Democrats expressed frustration with certain decisions. Some conservatives disagreed with a ruling that barred efforts to limit birthright citizenship, while Democrats opposed a decision allowing a president to remove officials from independent agencies. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, indicated his conference is exploring legislative solutions regarding birthright citizenship. He stated, "If there’s some legislative fix, we’ll advance that immediately." He added that a constitutional amendment would take more time but emphasized the need to address the issue. Bloomberg Law reported that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit was the most frequently reversed appellate court by the Supreme Court for the third consecutive year. Of 11 merits decisions from the 5th Circuit, the Supreme Court reversed eight, approximately 73% of cases. The overall reversal rate for the term was 70%. Three other circuits – the Seventh, Eighth, and Eleventh – saw all their cases reviewed by the Supreme Court reversed, totaling six cases. In personnel news, Judge Emil Joseph Bove III joined the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in September. The New York Times noted Bove’s previous role as a personal lawyer for former President Trump and as a senior official at the Justice Department. He has recused himself from political matters he handled while at the Justice Department in early 2025. Looking at the broader impact of Supreme Court rulings, Jason Willick of The Washington Post discussed the *Trump v. Slaughter* decision. This case affirmed direct presidential control over regulatory agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Willick suggested this decision amplifies presidential power and the significance of winning the presidency for both political parties. Regarding the justices' summer activities, Justice Elena Kagan noted in 2024 that the pace of emergency applications on the court's interim docket had changed the nature of the summer recess. She stated that summers were once distinct from the decision-making period. The court issued 26 emergency applications during the summer of 2024 and 42 substantive orders between July and October 2025, an increase from 15 in the same period in 2021. Justices have also engaged in various summer activities. Justice David Souter often returned to his New Hampshire farmhouse. Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife traveled the U.S. in an RV. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg regularly attended opera festivals. Several justices, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Ginsburg, Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia, Sonia Sotomayor, Brett Kavanaugh, and Samuel Alito, have taught in study-abroad programs in various international locations. Justice Neil Gorsuch has co-taught seminars in Italy and Iceland and is scheduled to teach in Prague this summer. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is slated to speak at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.