HB 4994

Patterson Bill Orders A Study Of Kids Online, Due 2027

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Rep. Jared PattersonRHouse 106

Why it's charged

Study, task force, commission, report

THE TEXT

“Not later than December 1, 2027, the department shall”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill orders a study and a written report with recommendations due by December 1, 2027, and takes no other action; any response waits for a later legislature. The caption says it is a study, so the bill does not hide this.

Study, task force, commission, report

Initial review · graded Oct 21, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to a study by the Department of State Health Services regarding the effects of online activity on children.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Nothing changes for families, schools or platforms. Any response waits for a later legislature.

The bill tells the Department of State Health Services, working with the Texas Education Agency, to study how online activity affects children's well-being. The department must define digital well-being, review best-practice recommendations, and ask children and parents about harms they have experienced online. Nothing changes for families, schools or online platforms; the only output is a written report with recommendations due by December 1, 2027, and the Act expires January 1, 2028.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 13, 2025 and referred to the House Public Health committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4994 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Rep. Jared PattersonRHouse 106

ITEM

relating to a study by the Department of State Health Services regarding the effects of online activity on children.

WHAT IT DOES

Nothing changes for families, schools or platforms. Any response waits for a later legislature.

CHARGES

[x] STUDY, TASK FORCE, COMMISSION, REPORTanalysis confidence 90%

THE TEXT

“Not later than December 1, 2027, the department shall”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Mar 13, 2025Filed
Apr 3, 2025Read first time
Apr 3, 2025Referred to Public Health

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.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Adversarial review by claude-fable-5-1 at high effort: Smells.

Analysis of text version I by claude-fable-5-1, Oct 21, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 13, 2025

04/03/2025 H Referred to Public Health: Apr 3 2025 12:38PM

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 Health · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Education--Primary & Secondary--General

Electronic Information Systems

Health--General

Interim Studies

Minors--Health & Safety

Safety

INTERNET

STATE HEALTH SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 333 words

89R17144 LRM-F

By: Patterson
H.B. No. 4994

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a study by the Department of State Health Services

regarding the effects of online activity on children.

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

SECTION 1. (a) In this section:

(1) "Child" means an individual who is younger than 18

years of age.

(2) "Department" means the Department of State Health

Services.

(b) The department, in collaboration with the Texas

Education Agency, shall conduct a study to assess the short-term

and long-term effects of online activity on a child's well-being.

(c) In conducting the study, the department shall:

(1) define the term "digital well-being" in the

context of children engaging in online activity;

(2) identify the desired positive outcomes for

children engaging in online activity and develop recommendations

for achieving those positive outcomes;

(3) identify and examine:

(A) the types of online activity that children

engage in that correspond with different digital well-being

outcomes, including an analysis of the content of the online

activity; and

(B) recommendations from public and private

institutions for best practices for ensuring children's online

activity is safe and healthy; and

(4) solicit feedback from children and children's

parents or legal guardians regarding specific harms that children

have experienced as a result of engaging in online activity.

(d) Not later than December 1, 2027, the department shall

submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the

house of representatives, and the commissioner of the department a

written report that:

(1) summarizes the results of the study conducted

under this section; and

(2) includes recommendations for legislative or other

action.

SECTION 2. This Act expires January 1, 2028.

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.