HB 4452

Repealing conscience protections for child welfare providers

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsReviewed

Rep. Josey GarciaDHouse 124

Editor's call: No flags. On Nov 1, 2026 the editor checked this charge against the bill's caption and removed it.

Corrected Nov 1, 2026

Corrected Nov 1, 2026 · We checked this summary against the bill text and fixed it.

Reviewed · Nov 1, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the protection of the rights of conscience for child welfare services providers.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Claims and defenses tied to conduct before the repeal would survive.

The bill repeals Chapter 45 of the Human Resources Code, the chapter the caption ties to conscience rights for child welfare services providers. It also strips references to that chapter from the limits on state health rules and on contracts under Chapter 54 of the Health and Safety Code, leaving only the Chapter 110 Civil Practice and Remedies Code limit. Starting September 1, 2025, providers can no longer rely on Chapter 45 for new claims or defenses, though claims and defenses based on earlier conduct survive.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 11, 2025 and referred to the House Human Services committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4452 · 2025-03-11

SOLD BY

Rep. Josey GarciaDHouse 124

ITEM

relating to the protection of the rights of conscience for child welfare services providers.

WHAT IT DOES

Claims and defenses tied to conduct before the repeal would survive.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Mar 11, 2025Filed
Apr 3, 2025Read first time
Apr 3, 2025Referred to Human Services

FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

…“does not affect a cause of action or defense created by that chapter that arises as a result of conduct occurring before the effective date of this Act”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

Repealing the chapter ends a cause of action and a legal defense for providers going forward, keeping them only for past conduct.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Josey Garcia

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$12K Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$10K House Democratic Campaign Committee$7K

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 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$11,500.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$11,500.00

Cash: $11,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $11,500.00

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 5, 2024 to Sep 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.

Report IDs: 100978474, 101016612, 101060352, 101067943.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$10,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$10,000.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $10,000.00

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 · on Dec 14, 2024. 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: 100978474.

House Democratic Campaign Committee$7,000.00

House Democratic Campaign Committee

$7,000.00

Cash: $7,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $7,000.00

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 3, 2026 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Apr 30, 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: 101060352.

Money

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

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$11,500.00

Cash: $11,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $11,500.00

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 5, 2024 to Sep 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.

Report IDs: 100978474, 101016612, 101060352, 101067943.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$10,000.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $10,000.00

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 · on Dec 14, 2024. 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: 100978474.

House Democratic Campaign Committee

$7,000.00

Cash: $7,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $7,000.00

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 3, 2026 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Apr 30, 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: 101060352.

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 11, 2025

04/03/2025 H Referred to Human Services: Apr 3 2025 12:38PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 10:30 AM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Human Services · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Family--Child Protection

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION

Text

The text as introduced · 217 words

89R4191 MM-D

By: Garcia of Bexar
H.B. No. 4452

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the protection of the rights of conscience for child

welfare services providers.

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

SECTION 1. Section 54.009(b), Health and Safety Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(b) The executive commissioner may not adopt a rule that

violates Chapter 110, Civil Practice and Remedies Code[ , or Chapter

45, Human Resources Code ].

SECTION 2. Section 54.010, Health and Safety Code, is

amended to read as follows:

Sec. 54.010. PROHIBITED CONTRACT TERMS. A contract under

this chapter may not include a provision that violates Chapter 110,

Civil Practice and Remedies Code[ , or Chapter 45, Human Resources

Code ].

SECTION 3. Chapter 45, Human Resources Code, is repealed.

SECTION 4. The repeal of Chapter 45, Human Resources Code,

by this Act does not affect a cause of action or defense created by

that chapter that arises as a result of conduct occurring before the

effective date of this Act. That cause of action or defense is

governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date

of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.