HB 497

Patterson Consent Bill Adds Contraceptives, Including Emergency Ones

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsReviewed

Rep. Jared PattersonRHouse 106

Both charges, and why

Caption mismatch

THE TEXT

“contraceptives, including emergency”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption covers only behavioral or mental health treatment. The body also puts contraceptives under the consent rule, which the caption never mentions.

Caption mismatch

Dragnet

THE CAPTION

…“health treatment by school district personnel.”

Caption, introduced version (I)

THE TEXT

“(B) informational materials on:”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption promises a consent rule for treatment. This list also requires a signed consent form just to hand a child informational materials on family planning, human sexuality or mental health, which goes well beyond treatment.

Dragnet

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 requiring parental consent for behavioral or mental health treatment by school district personnel.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Even handing a child informational materials on family planning or mental health needs a signed form.

The bill requires Texas public school employees to get a parent's written consent before giving a child behavioral or mental health services or treatment. That consent rule also covers giving a child contraceptives, including emergency contraceptives, and handing out informational materials on family planning, human sexuality or mental health. It applies starting with the 2025-2026 school year, so school counselors, nurses and other staff would need a signed parent form before doing any of these things.

Labels

Labels: PENDING FOREVER. Heard by the House Public Education committee on Apr 8, 2025 and left pending. Never voted out. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB497 · 2024-11-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Jared PattersonRHouse 106

Rep. Carrie IsaacRHouse 73

Rep. David SpillerRHouse 68

ITEM

relating to requiring parental consent for behavioral or mental health treatment by school district personnel.

WHAT IT DOES

Even handing a child informational materials on family planning or mental health needs a signed form.

CHARGES

[x] CAPTION MISMATCHanalysis confidence 60%

THE TEXT

“contraceptives, including emergency”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption covers only behavioral or mental health treatment. The body also puts contraceptives under the consent rule, which the caption never mentions.

[x] DRAGNETanalysis confidence 55%

THE CAPTION

…“health treatment by school district personnel.”

Caption, introduced version (I)

THE TEXT

“(B) informational materials on:”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 6, 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

Nov 12, 2024Filed
Feb 28, 2025Read first time
Feb 28, 2025Referred to Public Education
Apr 8, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 8, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 8, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 8, 2025Left pending in committee
May 1, 2025Considered in formal meeting
May 1, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 6, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 7, 2025Committee report distributed
May 7, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 8, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 10, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 13, 2025Read 2nd time
May 13, 2025Point of order sustained
May 13, 2025Returned to committee

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Jared Patterson

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$133K Texas Sands PAC$85K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$58K

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 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$132,750.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$132,750.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $32,750.00
Total: $132,750.00

polling $32,750.00

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 25, 2025 to Oct 7, 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: 100996442, 101018590, 101035748, 101067950, 101072483.

Texas Sands PAC$84,800.00

Texas Sands PAC

$84,800.00

Cash: $68,000.00
Paid by others: $16,800.00
Total: $84,800.00

polling $16,800.00

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 · Dec 4, 2024 to Oct 15, 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: 100976997, 101018590, 101035748, 101072483.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$57,950.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$57,950.00

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $57,950.00
Total: $57,950.00

canvassing $35,000.00polling $22,950.00

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 · Feb 12, 2026 to Sep 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: 101035748, 101067950.

Money

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

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$132,750.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $32,750.00
Total: $132,750.00

polling $32,750.00

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 25, 2025 to Oct 7, 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: 100996442, 101018590, 101035748, 101067950, 101072483.

Texas Sands PAC

$84,800.00

Cash: $68,000.00
Paid by others: $16,800.00
Total: $84,800.00

polling $16,800.00

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 · Dec 4, 2024 to Oct 15, 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: 100976997, 101018590, 101035748, 101072483.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$57,950.00

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $57,950.00
Total: $57,950.00

canvassing $35,000.00polling $22,950.00

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 · Feb 12, 2026 to Sep 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: 101035748, 101067950.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses32

For: 6
Against: 22
On: 4

Names

For

Self2 registrations
Self; Texas Eagle Forun1 registration
Self; True Texas Project1 registration
Self; True texas project1 registration
Texas Association of School Boards1 registration

Against

Clarity Child Guidance Center1 registration
Disability Rights Texas1 registration
Healthy Futures of Texas1 registration
NAMI Texas1 registration
National Association of Social Workers-Texas1 registration
Self7 registrations
Self; Autism Society of Texas1 registration
Self; Girls Empowerment Network1 registration
Self; Texas Association of School Psychologists1 registration
Self; Texas Counseling Association1 registration
Self; Texas Impact1 registration
Self; Texas School Nurses Organization1 registration
Texas Coalition for Healthy Minds1 registration
Texas Counseling Association1 registration
Texas Pediatric Society1 registration
Texas Psychological Association1 registration

On

Citizens Commission on Human Rights1 registration
Self1 registration
Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education (TCASE)1 registration
Texas Education Agency1 registration

Sources

32 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 6, 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.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024

05/13/2025 H Returned to committee: May 13 2025 6:33PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 1:38 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

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

Subjects

Education--Primary & Secondary--General

Education--School Districts

Family--Parent & Child

Mental Health & Substance Abuse

Minors--Health & Safety

PARENTAL CONSENT

Text

The text as introduced · 223 words

89R3878 CMO-D

By: Patterson
H.B. No. 497

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring parental consent for behavioral or mental

health treatment by school district personnel.

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

SECTION 1. Section 26.009(a), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) An employee of a school district must obtain the written

consent of a child's parent before the employee may:

(1) conduct a psychological examination, test, or

treatment, unless the examination, test, or treatment is required

under Section 38.004 or state or federal law regarding requirements

for special education; [ or ]

(2) make or authorize the making of a videotape of a

child or record or authorize the recording of a child's voice ; or

(3) provide a child with behavioral or mental health

services or treatment, including:

(A) contraceptives, including emergency

contraceptives; and

(B) informational materials on:

(i) family planning;

(ii) human sexuality; or

(iii) mental health .

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.