Monitoring the Session

HB 1974

Cook Bill Voids Gag Clauses On Child Sexual Abuse

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. David CookRHouse 96

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 the enforceability of certain nondisclosure or confidentiality provisions with respect to an act of sexual abuse committed against a child.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Report to police, tell anyone, name the alleged offender. Even old agreements lose the gag.

The bill voids any nondisclosure or confidentiality clause, in any kind of agreement, to the extent it stops a person from reporting child sexual abuse to police or regulators or from telling anyone the facts, including the alleged offender's name. It touches parties to settlements, employment contracts and other agreements, including institutions that used such clauses to keep abuse quiet. Starting September 1, 2025, those gag clauses cannot be enforced in court, even in agreements signed before the law took effect.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1974 · 2025-01-22

SOLD BY

Rep. David CookRHouse 96

ITEM

relating to the enforceability of certain nondisclosure or confidentiality provisions with respect to an act of sexual abuse committed against a child.

WHAT IT DOES

Report to police, tell anyone, name the alleged offender. Even old agreements lose the gag.

The bill voids any nondisclosure or confidentiality clause, in any kind of agreement, to the extent it stops a person from reporting child sexual abuse to police or regulators or from telling anyone the facts, including the alleged offender's name. It touches parties to settlements, employment contracts and other agreements, including institutions that used such clauses to keep abuse quiet. Starting September 1, 2025, those gag clauses cannot be enforced in court, even in agreements signed before the law took effect.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

…“is void and unenforceable as against the public policy of this state”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill strips legal force from contract gag clauses so people can speak about child sexual abuse without being sued for breach.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

David Cook

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$350KGOPAC Election Fund$115KTexas REALTORS Political Action Committee$60K

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 28, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$350,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$350,000.00

Cash
$350,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$350,000.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 24, 2025 to Oct 23, 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: 101012315, 101037124, 101037559, 101066332, 101070691.

GOPAC Election Fund$115,000.00

GOPAC Election Fund

$115,000.00

Cash
$115,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$115,000.00

Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Sep 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: 101066332.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$60,000.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

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 · Sep 12, 2025 to Jul 16, 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: 101037124, 101037559, 101066332.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$350,000.00

Cash
$350,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$350,000.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 24, 2025 to Oct 23, 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: 101012315, 101037124, 101037559, 101066332, 101070691.

×

GOPAC Election Fund

$115,000.00

Cash
$115,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$115,000.00

Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Sep 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: 101066332.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

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 · Sep 12, 2025 to Jul 16, 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: 101037124, 101037559, 101066332.

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.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Jan 22, 2025

03/14/2025 H Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence: 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 · Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 835 by Paxton (very similar)

SB 1587 by Hancock (similar)

Subjects

Civil Remedies & Liabilities

Crimes--Against Persons--Sexual

Minors--Crimes Against

CHILD ABUSE

SEXUAL ABUSE

Text

The text as introduced · 324 words

By: Cook
H.B. No. 1974

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the enforceability of certain nondisclosure or

confidentiality provisions with respect to an act of sexual abuse

committed against a child.

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

SECTION 1. Title 6, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is

amended by adding Chapter 129C to read as follows:

CHAPTER 129C. AGREEMENTS PROHIBITING DISCLOSURES REGARDING CHILD

SEXUAL ABUSE

Sec. 129C.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "act of sexual

abuse" means conduct described by:

(1) Section 261.001(1)(E), (F), (G), (H), (K), or (L),

Family Code; or

(2) one or more of the following penal laws:

(A) indecency with a child under Section 21.11,

Penal Code;

(B) sexual assault under Section 22.011, Penal

Code;

(C) aggravated sexual assault under Section

22.021, Penal Code;

(D) sexual performance by a child under Section

43.25, Penal Code;

(E) trafficking of persons under Section

20A.02(a)(3), (4), (7), or (8), Penal Code; and

(F) compelling prostitution under Section 43.05,

Penal Code.

Sec. 129C.002. CERTAIN PROVISIONS UNENFORCEABLE. Any

provision of a nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement, or

nondisclosure or confidentiality provision of an employment

agreement, settlement agreement, or any other agreement is void and

unenforceable as against the public policy of this state to the

extent the provision:

(1) prohibits a party from notifying, or limits the

party's ability to notify, a local or state law enforcement agency

or any state or federal regulatory agency of any act of sexual

abuse committed against a child; or

(2) prohibits a party from disclosing to any person,

including during any related investigation, prosecution, legal

proceeding, or dispute resolution, facts surrounding any act of

sexual abuse committed against a child, including the identity of

the alleged offender.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to an

agreement entered into before, on, or after the effective date of

this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.