HB 1704
Schatzline Bill Defines ‘Altering One’s Biological Sex’ As Self-Harm
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Why it's charged
Dragnet
The caption promises parental notice about acts of self-harm, but the bill's own definition counts altering one's biological sex as self-harm, and subsection (b) then requires notice for words or behavior expressing gender dysphoria or other distress relating to the child's biological sex. That reaches a child's speech and distress, not only acts that injure the child.
DragnetInitial review · graded Oct 21, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to a parent's right to be notified by a school district concerning acts of self-harm by the parent's child.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Words expressing gender dysphoria trigger the parent notice. Staff who stay silent can be fired.
The bill makes every Texas school district immediately notify a parent when the parent's child engages in, expresses a desire for, or shows by words or behavior a likelihood of self-harm. The bill defines self-harm to include attempted suicide, suicidal ideation, swallowing toxins, cutting or burning oneself, high-risk sexual behavior, altering one's biological sex, and abusing drugs or alcohol, and the notice trigger also reaches words or behavior expressing gender dysphoria or other distress about the child's biological sex. A district employee who witnesses any of this must immediately tell an administrator or may face discharge, termination or suspension, starting with the 2025-2026 school year.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Dec 20, 2024 and referred to the House Public Education committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB1704 · 2024-12-20
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to a parent's right to be notified by a school district concerning acts of self-harm by the parent's child.
WHAT IT DOES
Words expressing gender dysphoria trigger the parent notice. Staff who stay silent can be fired.
The bill makes every Texas school district immediately notify a parent when the parent's child engages in, expresses a desire for, or shows by words or behavior a likelihood of self-harm. The bill defines self-harm to include attempted suicide, suicidal ideation, swallowing toxins, cutting or burning oneself, high-risk sexual behavior, altering one's biological sex, and abusing drugs or alcohol, and the notice trigger also reaches words or behavior expressing gender dysphoria or other distress about the child's biological sex. A district employee who witnesses any of this must immediately tell an administrator or may face discharge, termination or suspension, starting with the 2025-2026 school year.
CHARGES
[x] DRAGNETanalysis confidence 70%
The caption promises parental notice about acts of self-harm, but the bill's own definition counts altering one's biological sex as self-harm, and subsection (b) then requires notice for words or behavior expressing gender dysphoria or other distress relating to the child's biological sex. That reaches a child's speech and distress, not only acts that injure the child.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Public Education
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Derived from itemized gifts, Oct 27, 2024 to Jun 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
$113,206 raised in 4 of 4 reports since Oct 27, 2024. Derived sum of published report totals. Flow, Oct 27, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026. 4 of 4 filed reports carry a published figure. Partial total. Regular reports do not cover Jul 9, 2025 to Aug 15, 2025, Aug 15, 2025 to Sep 4, 2025.
$220,212 spent since Oct 27, 2024. Derived sum of published report totals. Flow, Oct 27, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026. 4 of 4 filed reports carry a published figure.
$54,238 cash on hand. Published report total. Stock, as of Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.
$0 loans outstanding. Published report total. Stock, as of Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived sum of itemized contributions in regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Unitemized contributions are not included. Flow, Oct 27, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.
MoneyMissing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Adversarial review by claude-fable-5-1 at high effort: Smells.
Analysis of text version I by claude-fable-5-1, Oct 21, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Dec 20, 2024
03/14/2025 H Referred to Public Education: Mar 14 2025 2:36PM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Public Education · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Education--Primary & Secondary--Other School Personnel
Education--Primary & Secondary--Teachers
Family--Parent & Child
Minors--Health & Safety
PARENTAL NOTIFICATION
PARENTAL RIGHTS
Text
The text as introduced · 317 words
89R5871 RAL-D By: Schatzline H.B. No. 1704 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to a parent's right to be notified by a school district concerning acts of self-harm by the parent's child. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 26, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 26.0083 to read as follows: Sec. 26.0083. PARENTAL NOTIFICATION CONCERNING ACTS OF SELF-HARM BY PARENT'S CHILD. (a) In this section, "self-harm" includes: (1) attempted suicide; (2) the expression of suicidal ideation; (3) the intentional ingestion of toxins; (4) hitting, cutting, or burning oneself, or engaging in other acts of self-mutilation; (5) engaging in high-risk sexual behavior; (6) altering one's biological sex; (7) abusing drugs or alcohol; and (8) engaging in any other behavior that causes self-injury. (b) A school district shall immediately notify a parent if the parent's child engages in or expresses a desire to engage in an act of self-harm, or otherwise indicates by words or behavior a likelihood of engaging in an act of self-harm, including words or behavior expressing gender dysphoria or other distress relating to the child's biological sex. (c) An employee of a school district who witnesses a child engage in an act, expression, or behavior described by Subsection (b) shall immediately inform an appropriate district administrator. (d) A school district employee who fails to comply with Subsection (c) may be subject to, as applicable: (1) discharge or suspension without pay under Section 21.104 or 21.156; or (2) termination or suspension under Section 21.211. SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.