Monitoring the Session

HB 3972

Richardson Bill Requires ‘Meet Baby Olivia’ Every Year

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. Keresa RichardsonRHouse 61
Both charges, and why
Caption mismatch

THE TEXT

…“humanity of the unborn child and the concept that life begins at”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption promises fetal development instruction, but the body also requires teaching a specific position on when life begins and a yearly showing of named videos. The caption does not mention either.

Caption mismatch
Carve-out

THE TEXT

“LiveAction, Meet Baby Olivia (2025),”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill writes named outside organizations' videos into state law as required viewing for every middle school, which gives those named producers a guaranteed statewide audience.

Carve-out

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 including fetal development instruction as part of the required health curriculum for public school students in certain grade levels.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Caption: fetal development. Bill: life begins at fertilization, plus three named videos yearly.

The bill orders the State Board of Education to require instruction in grades six through eight on the humanity of the unborn child and the idea that life begins at fertilization, as part of the health curriculum. It also requires schools to show three named videos each year, from LiveAction, the St. John Paul II Life Center and PBS NOVA, as long as the videos are publicly available. Middle school students in Texas public schools would get this instruction starting in the 2025-2026 school year.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 6, 2025 and referred to the House Public Education committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3972 · 2025-03-06

SOLD BY

Rep. Keresa RichardsonRHouse 61

ITEM

relating to including fetal development instruction as part of the required health curriculum for public school students in certain grade levels.

WHAT IT DOES

Caption: fetal development. Bill: life begins at fertilization, plus three named videos yearly.

The bill orders the State Board of Education to require instruction in grades six through eight on the humanity of the unborn child and the idea that life begins at fertilization, as part of the health curriculum. It also requires schools to show three named videos each year, from LiveAction, the St. John Paul II Life Center and PBS NOVA, as long as the videos are publicly available. Middle school students in Texas public schools would get this instruction starting in the 2025-2026 school year.

CHARGES

[x] CAPTION MISMATCHanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

…“humanity of the unborn child and the concept that life begins at”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption promises fetal development instruction, but the body also requires teaching a specific position on when life begins and a yearly showing of named videos. The caption does not mention either.

[x] CARVE-OUTanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

“LiveAction, Meet Baby Olivia (2025),”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill writes named outside organizations' videos into state law as required viewing for every middle school, which gives those named producers a guaranteed statewide audience.

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.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Keresa Richardson

Donors

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$575KTexans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$364KJeannie Pascale$100,000

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 · Nov 4, 2024 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.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$574,750.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$574,750.00

Cash
$200,000.00
Paid by others
$374,750.00
Total
$574,750.00
canvassing $350,000.00polling $24,750.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 14, 2026 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: 101069161, 101072822.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$363,511.10

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$363,511.10

Cash
$195,000.00
Paid by others
$168,511.10
Total
$363,511.10
advertising $76,656.57mail $71,344.18polling $20,510.35

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 23, 2025 to Oct 22, 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: 101007087, 101036173, 101040588, 101060020, 101069161, 101072822.

Jeannie Pascale$100,000.00
Money

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

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$574,750.00

Cash
$200,000.00
Paid by others
$374,750.00
Total
$574,750.00
canvassing $350,000.00polling $24,750.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 14, 2026 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: 101069161, 101072822.

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$363,511.10

Cash
$195,000.00
Paid by others
$168,511.10
Total
$363,511.10
advertising $76,656.57mail $71,344.18polling $20,510.35

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 23, 2025 to Oct 22, 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: 101007087, 101036173, 101040588, 101060020, 101069161, 101072822.

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 Mar 6, 2025

03/27/2025 H Referred to Public Education: Mar 27 2025 11:57AM

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--Curriculum

EDUCATION, STATE BOARD OF

Text

The text as introduced · 221 words

89R12741 RAL-D

By: Richardson
H.B. No. 3972

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to including fetal development instruction as part of the

required health curriculum for public school students in certain

grade levels.

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

SECTION 1. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (r-1) to read as follows:

(r-1) The State Board of Education shall by rule require

students in grades six through eight to receive instruction on the

humanity of the unborn child and the concept that life begins at

fertilization as part of the essential knowledge and skills for the

health curriculum under Subsection (a)(2)(B). To the extent the

videos are publicly available, the instruction must include a

showing of the following each year:

(1) LiveAction, Meet Baby Olivia (2025),

https://www.babyolivia.liveaction.org;

(2) St. John Paul II Life Center, A Glimpse Inside

(2025), https://www.glimpseinside.org; and

(3) "The Miracle of Life," NOVA (PBS Feb. 15, 1983).

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.