HB 4696: protective order applicants can testify remotely

Caption

relating to the remote participation of certain persons in a proceeding for the issuance or modification of a protective order.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Courts must allow it if they ask in writing.

The bill requires a court to let an applicant or protected witness testify or take part remotely in a protective order hearing, or a hearing to change one, if they ask in writing. It touches people seeking or holding family violence protective orders, their witnesses, and the courts that hear these cases. Courts must offer a remote option on request unless they find good cause to deny it, starting September 1, 2025, including in cases already pending.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 698 by Rep. Neave Criado (Died in committee) and this bill (Did not pass). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 698 by Rep. Neave Criado (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.ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 2 Republicans, 3 Democrats. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 14, 2025. Died in the Senate: received, never referred to a committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4696 · 2025-03-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Linda GarciaDHouse 107

Rep. Senfronia ThompsonDHouse 141

Rep. Jeff LeachRHouse 67

+ 2 more authors

ITEM

relating to the remote participation of certain persons in a proceeding for the issuance or modification of a protective order.

WHAT IT DOES

Courts must allow it if they ask in writing.

The bill requires a court to let an applicant or protected witness testify or take part remotely in a protective order hearing, or a hearing to change one, if they ask in writing. It touches people seeking or holding family violence protective orders, their witnesses, and the courts that hear these cases. Courts must offer a remote option on request unless they find good cause to deny it, starting September 1, 2025, including in cases already pending.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 19, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Mar 12, 2025Filed
Apr 3, 2025Read first time
Apr 3, 2025Referred to s/c on Family & Fiduciary Relationships by Speaker
Apr 22, 2025Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
Apr 22, 2025Considered by s/c in public hearing
Apr 22, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
Apr 22, 2025Left pending in subcommittee
Apr 28, 2025Recalled from subcommittee
Apr 28, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 28, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 5, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 5, 2025Committee report distributed
May 6, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 8, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 10, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 13, 2025Read 2nd time
May 13, 2025Passed to engrossment
May 13, 2025Record vote RV#2396
May 13, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 14, 2025Read 3rd time
May 14, 2025Passed
May 14, 2025Record vote RV#2469
May 14, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 14, 2025Reported engrossed
May 15, 2025Received from the House

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 95 yea · 45 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 14, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Linda Garcia

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$14K Texas Sands PAC$8K Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$8K

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 · Jul 1, 2024 to May 26, 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$14,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$14,000.00

Cash: $14,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $14,000.00

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 · Oct 22, 2024 to Dec 11, 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: 100984280.

Texas Sands PAC$8,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$8,000.00

Cash: $8,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $8,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 1, 2024 to May 18, 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: 100984280, 101062624.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$7,500.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$7,500.00

Cash: $7,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $7,500.00

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 · Jun 24, 2025 to Mar 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: 101011004, 101030065, 101062624.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$14,000.00

Cash: $14,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $14,000.00

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 · Oct 22, 2024 to Dec 11, 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: 100984280.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$8,000.00

Cash: $8,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $8,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 1, 2024 to May 18, 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: 100984280, 101062624.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$7,500.00

Cash: $7,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $7,500.00

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 · Jun 24, 2025 to Mar 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: 101011004, 101030065, 101062624.

Votes2

House May 14, 2025

Yea: 95
Nay: 45
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 5
Excused: 3

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 2469

HB 4696 was passed by (Record 2469): 95 Yeas, 45 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 95 (published)
Nay: 45 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 5 (derived from named list)
Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House May 13, 2025

Yea: 90
Nay: 47
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 2
Excused: 10

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 2396

HB 4696 was passed to engrossment by (Record 2396): 90 Yeas, 47 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 90 (published)
Nay: 47 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
Excused: 10 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses16

For: 16
Against: 0
On: 0

Names

For

Bexar County Commissioners Court1 registration
Buckner International1 registration
Dallas County1 registration
San Antonio Police Officers Association1 registration
SAPOA1 registration
Self2 registrations
Self; Every Body Texas1 registration
Self; Texas Advocacy Project1 registration
Self; The El Paso County Attorney’s Office1 registration
Texas Association Against Sexual Assault1 registration
Texas Council on Family Violence1 registration
Texas Family Law Foundation1 registration
TexProtects1 registration
TMPA1 registration
Travis County Commissioners Court1 registration

Sources

16 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 19, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

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 HB 698

by Rep. Neave Criado, different lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, May 9, 2023: Referred to State Affairs

Relating to the remote participation of certain persons in a proceeding for the issuance or modification of a protective order.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 12, 2025

05/15/2025 S Received from the House

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

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

House committee · Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Companion

SB 954 by Johnson (identical)

Subjects

Courts--General

Family--Family Violence

PROTECTIVE ORDERS

TELECONFERENCING

VIDEOCONFERENCING

WITNESSES

Text

The text as introduced · 265 words

89R2313 MLH-D

By: Garcia of Dallas
H.B. No. 4696

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the remote participation of certain persons in a

proceeding for the issuance or modification of a protective order.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 84, Family Code, is amended by adding

Section 84.007 to read as follows:

Sec. 84.007. REMOTE PARTICIPATION BY APPLICANT OR WITNESS.

On written request by an applicant or a witness who is to be

protected by a proposed protective order, the court shall provide a

method by which the applicant or witness may give testimony or

otherwise participate in the hearing on the application for the

protective order remotely, unless the court finds there is good

cause to deny the request to participate remotely.

SECTION 2. Chapter 87, Family Code, is amended by adding

Section 87.005 to read as follows:

Sec. 87.005. REMOTE PARTICIPATION BY APPLICANT OR WITNESS.

On written request by an applicant or a witness who is protected by

a protective order, the court shall provide a method by which the

applicant or witness may give testimony or otherwise participate in

the hearing on the motion for modification of the protective order

remotely, unless the court finds there is good cause to deny the

request to participate remotely.

SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies to a

proceeding under Subtitle B, Title 4, Family Code, that is pending

on or filed on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Texas Sands PAC

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Texas Sands PAC

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

House May 14, 2025

House May 13, 2025

For

88R HB 698

Companion