Monitoring the Session

HB 1727

bill writing school social worker duties into state law

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Mihaela PlesaDHouse 70

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to social workers employed by school districts.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Violence prevention, suicide prevention and child abuse identification.

The bill writes into state law a list of duties for social workers that school districts employ, defining what "school social work services" means. It touches school social workers, district administrators, and school boards, requiring social workers to collaborate with staff and parents on violence prevention, suicide prevention, and child abuse identification, and to serve on committees as appropriate. School boards get the option, not a mandate, to require social workers to spend at least 80 percent of their time on these duties, starting with the 2025-2026 school year.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R SB 1157 by Sen. Menéndez (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 1157 by Sen. Menéndez (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 2, 2025 and referred to the House Public Education committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1727 · 2025-01-02

SOLD BY

Rep. Mihaela PlesaDHouse 70

ITEM

relating to social workers employed by school districts.

WHAT IT DOES

Violence prevention, suicide prevention and child abuse identification.

The bill writes into state law a list of duties for social workers that school districts employ, defining what "school social work services" means. It touches school social workers, district administrators, and school boards, requiring social workers to collaborate with staff and parents on violence prevention, suicide prevention, and child abuse identification, and to serve on committees as appropriate. School boards get the option, not a mandate, to require social workers to spend at least 80 percent of their time on these duties, starting with the 2025-2026 school year.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Public Education
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Mihaela Plesa

Donors

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$79KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$55KTexBlue Media PAC$33K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 27, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$79,480.35

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$79,480.35

Cash
$37,500.00
Paid by others
$41,980.35
Total
$79,480.35
mail $33,992.76digital $4,945.63text $2,016.96advertising $525.00fundraiser $500.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108, 101072533.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$55,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$55,000.00

Cash
$55,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$55,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108.

TexBlue Media PAC$32,511.00

TexBlue Media PAC

$32,511.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$32,511.00
Total
$32,511.00
advertising $32,511.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101072533.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$79,480.35

Cash
$37,500.00
Paid by others
$41,980.35
Total
$79,480.35
mail $33,992.76digital $4,945.63text $2,016.96advertising $525.00fundraiser $500.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108, 101072533.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$55,000.00

Cash
$55,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$55,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108.

×

TexBlue Media PAC

$32,511.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$32,511.00
Total
$32,511.00
advertising $32,511.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101072533.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R SB 1157

by Sen. Menéndez, different lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 9, 2023: Referred to Education

Relating to social workers employed by school districts.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Jan 2, 2025

03/14/2025 H Referred to Public Education: Mar 14 2025 2:36PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Public Education · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 201 by Menéndez (very similar)

Subjects

Education--Primary & Secondary--Other School Personnel

SOCIAL WORK & SOCIAL WORKERS

Text

The text as introduced · 297 words

89R3429 RDR-F

By: Plesa
H.B. No. 1727

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to social workers employed by school districts.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 33, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 33.905 to read as follows:

Sec. 33.905. SOCIAL WORKERS. (a) In this section, "school

social work services" means services specialized to assist students

and families and designed to alleviate barriers to learning,

connect the home, the community, and the school, advocate for the

best interest and academic success of students, strengthen

relationships, and assist with basic needs.

(b) A social worker employed by a school district:

(1) shall:

(A) collaborate with district administrators and

other district professionals to enhance students' learning

environments;

(B) as appropriate, serve on district committees

that address education and safety issues for students; and

(C) collaborate with parents, teachers, district

administrators, and the community to develop and implement school

violence prevention, suicide prevention, and child abuse

identification strategies; and

(2) may provide:

(A) school social work services to students and

families in the district; and

(B) behavioral health referrals and group

intervention services as needed.

(c) The board of trustees of a school district may adopt a

policy that requires a social worker employed by the district to

spend at least 80 percent of the social worker's total work time on

duties described by this section.

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.