HB 499: Every Social Media Visit Opens With A Mental Health Warning

Caption

relating to a warning label on social media platforms concerning the association between a minor's social media usage and significant mental health issues.

Caption from analyzed text · version H.

Summary

No access until you acknowledge it. Platforms must comply starting April 1, 2026.

The bill requires every social media platform operating in Texas to show a warning label on its landing page each time a user opens it, about the link between minors' social media use and serious mental health issues. The label must list help resources, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and say something about how platforms use personal data and how addictive social media is, and users cannot use the platform until they confirm they understand the warning. The state health commission must write the rules for the label by January 1, 2026, and platforms must comply starting April 1, 2026.

Labels

Labels: ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 1 Republican, 1 Democrat. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on Apr 29, 2025. Died in the Senate: received, never referred to a committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB499 · 2024-11-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Mary E. GonzálezDHouse 75

Rep. Jared PattersonRHouse 106

+ 2 coauthors

ITEM

relating to a warning label on social media platforms concerning the association between a minor's social media usage and significant mental health issues.

WHAT IT DOES

No access until you acknowledge it. Platforms must comply starting April 1, 2026.

The bill requires every social media platform operating in Texas to show a warning label on its landing page each time a user opens it, about the link between minors' social media use and serious mental health issues. The label must list help resources, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and say something about how platforms use personal data and how addictive social media is, and users cannot use the platform until they confirm they understand the warning. The state health commission must write the rules for the label by January 1, 2026, and platforms must comply starting April 1, 2026.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 9, 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 Health
Mar 17, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Mar 17, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 17, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Mar 17, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 7, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 7, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 7, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
Apr 14, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Apr 14, 2025Committee report distributed
Apr 15, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
Apr 22, 2025Considered in Calendars
Apr 25, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
Apr 28, 2025Read 2nd time
Apr 28, 2025Point of order withdrawn Rule 8, Section 1
Apr 28, 2025Point of order overruled Rule 4, Section 40, and Rule 11, Section 2
Apr 28, 2025Amended 1-M. González
Apr 28, 2025Record vote RV#610
Apr 28, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
Apr 28, 2025Passed to engrossment as amended
Apr 28, 2025Record vote RV#611
Apr 28, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
Apr 29, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 29, 2025Passed
Apr 29, 2025Record vote RV#721
Apr 29, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
Apr 29, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 29, 2025Received from the House

FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

“The social media platform shall ensure the user is unable to operate the platform until the user verifies the user understands the warning.”

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

The bill makes platforms display state-written warning content to every user and blocks each user from the platform until they acknowledge it.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 98 yea · 46 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · Apr 29, 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

Mary E. González

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$10K Coalition for Working Families PAC$10K Texas Sands 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 16, 2024 to Jun 13, 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$10,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$10,000.00

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

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 11, 2024 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: 100985912, 101032788, 101058648.

Coalition for Working Families PAC$10,000.00

Coalition for Working Families PAC

$10,000.00

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

Also funds 24 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 25, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Jan 5, 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: 101058648.

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 · Jul 22, 2024 to Dec 9, 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: 100985912.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$10,000.00

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

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 11, 2024 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: 100985912, 101032788, 101058648.

×

Coalition for Working Families PAC

$10,000.00

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

Also funds 24 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 25, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Jan 5, 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: 101058648.

×

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 · Jul 22, 2024 to Dec 9, 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: 100985912.

Votes3

House Apr 29, 2025

Yea: 98
Nay: 46
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 4
Excused: 1

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 721

HB 499 was passed by (Record 721): 98 Yeas, 46 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 98 (published)
Nay: 46 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

House Apr 28, 2025

Yea: 105
Nay: 40
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 1
Excused: 2

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 611

CSHB 499, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 611): 105 Yeas, 40 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 105 (published)
Nay: 40 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 1 (derived from named list)
Excused: 2 (derived from named list)

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

House Apr 28, 2025

Yea: 111
Nay: 33
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 2
Excused: 2

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 610

Amendment No. 1 was adopted by (Record 610): 111 Yeas, 33 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 111 (published)
Nay: 33 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
Excused: 2 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses11

For: 9
Against: 1
On: 1

Names

For

Children’s Hospital Association of Texas1 registration
David’s Legacy Foundation1 registration
NAMI Texas1 registration
Self1 registration
Self; Students Engaged in Advancing Texas1 registration
Self; Texas Council1 registration
Self; Texas Medical Association and Texas Pediatric Society1 registration
Texas Chapter American College of Physicians1 registration
Texas Council of Community Centers1 registration

Against

TechNet1 registration

On

Self1 registration

Sources

11 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 H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 9, 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 H by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024

04/29/2025 S Received from the House

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors

Suleman LalaniDHouse 76

Penny Morales ShawDHouse 148

House committee · Public Health · Committee vote 11 aye, 1 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Subjects

Mental Health & Substance Abuse

Minors--Health & Safety

EMAIL & ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

INTERNET

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION

Text

The text as introduced · 281 words

89R2213 MPF-D

By: González of El Paso
H.B. No. 499

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a warning label on social media platforms concerning

the association between a minor's social media usage and

significant mental health issues.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 161, Health and Safety Code, is amended

by adding Subchapter Z to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER Z. WARNING LABEL ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS REGARDING

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN MINORS

Sec. 161.801. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter, "social

media platform" and "user" have the meanings assigned by Section

120.001, Business & Commerce Code.

Sec. 161.802. REQUIRED WARNING LABEL REGARDING MENTAL

HEALTH ISSUES. (a) A social media platform operating in this state

shall display on the platform's landing page each time a user opens

the platform a warning label concerning the association between a

minor's social media usage and significant mental health issues.

(b) The social media platform shall ensure the user is

unable to operate the platform until the user verifies the user

understands the warning.

(c) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules regarding

the form and content of the warning label required by Subsection

(a).

SECTION 2. (a) Not later than January 1, 2026, the executive

commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall

adopt the rules required by Section 161.802, Health and Safety

Code, as added by this Act.

(b) A social media platform, as that term is defined by

Section 120.001, Business & Commerce Code, is not required to

comply with Section 161.802, Health and Safety Code, as added by

this Act, before April 1, 2026.

SECTION 3. 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

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Coalition for Working Families PAC

Texas Sands PAC

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Coalition for Working Families PAC

Texas Sands PAC

House Apr 29, 2025

House Apr 28, 2025

House Apr 28, 2025

For

Against

On