HB 748: Leach bill voiding NDAs that silence sexual abuse claims

Caption

relating to the enforceability of certain nondisclosure or confidentiality provisions with respect to an act of sexual abuse.

Caption from analyzed text · version E.

Summary

Covers settlements and job deals, including ones already signed.

This bill voids any part of a nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement that stops a person from telling anyone about sexual abuse or the facts around it. It covers employment deals, settlements and any other agreement, and it reaches agreements signed before, on or after September 1, 2025. Victims and others can now speak about the abuse despite a signed gag clause, while the dollar amount and other settlement terms can still be kept private, and anyone trying to enforce an older gag clause must first win a final court ruling that it is enforceable.

Labels

Labels: ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 4 Republicans, 1 Democrat. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB748 · 2024-11-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Jeff LeachRHouse 67

Rep. Ann JohnsonDHouse 134

Rep. Mitch LittleRHouse 65

+ 2 more authors, 14 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the enforceability of certain nondisclosure or confidentiality provisions with respect to an act of sexual abuse.

WHAT IT DOES

Covers settlements and job deals, including ones already signed.

This bill voids any part of a nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement that stops a person from telling anyone about sexual abuse or the facts around it. It covers employment deals, settlements and any other agreement, and it reaches agreements signed before, on or after September 1, 2025. Victims and others can now speak about the abuse despite a signed gag clause, while the dollar amount and other settlement terms can still be kept private, and anyone trying to enforce an older gag clause must first win a final court ruling that it is enforceable.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 7, 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
Mar 5, 2025Read first time
Mar 5, 2025Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Mar 19, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Mar 19, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 19, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Mar 19, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Mar 19, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
Mar 24, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Mar 25, 2025Committee report distributed
Mar 25, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
Apr 1, 2025Considered in Calendars
Apr 8, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
Apr 8, 2025Read 2nd time
Apr 8, 2025Amended 1-Leach, Meyer, Johnson, Schofield, and Little
Apr 8, 2025Passed to engrossment as amended
Apr 8, 2025Record vote RV#87
Apr 9, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 9, 2025Passed
Apr 9, 2025Record vote RV#97
Apr 9, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
Apr 9, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 9, 2025Received from the House
May 6, 2025Read first time
May 6, 2025Referred to State Affairs
May 8, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
May 8, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 8, 2025Testimony taken in committee
May 8, 2025Left pending in committee
May 12, 2025Co-sponsor authorized
May 14, 2025Co-sponsor authorized
May 14, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 14, 2025Vote taken in committee
May 15, 2025Co-sponsor authorized
May 15, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendments
May 15, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
May 19, 2025Co-sponsor authorized
May 19, 2025Placed on intent calendar
May 27, 2025Not again placed on intent calendar

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 147 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · Apr 9, 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

Jeff Leach

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$1.14M Texas Conservative Majority PAC$273K Republican Party of Texas$182K

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$1,141,482.69

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$1,141,482.69

Cash: $555,000.00
Paid by others: $586,482.69
Total: $1,141,482.69

digital $316,766.74mail $154,662.95advertising $89,953.00polling $25,100.00

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 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.

Report IDs: 101004498, 101024562, 101039760, 101044787, 101067510, 101072948.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$273,017.05

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$273,017.05

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $238,017.05
Total: $273,017.05

canvassing $150,000.00digital $70,627.07Other filed descriptions $16,666.67texting $723.31

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 9, 2026 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.

Report IDs: 101039760, 101044787, 101067510, 101072948.

Republican Party of Texas$182,117.94

Republican Party of Texas

$182,117.94

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $182,117.94
Total: $182,117.94

mail $182,117.94

Also funds 12 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 30, 2026 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.

Report IDs: 101072948.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$1,141,482.69

Cash: $555,000.00
Paid by others: $586,482.69
Total: $1,141,482.69

digital $316,766.74mail $154,662.95advertising $89,953.00polling $25,100.00

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 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.

Report IDs: 101004498, 101024562, 101039760, 101044787, 101067510, 101072948.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$273,017.05

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $238,017.05
Total: $273,017.05

canvassing $150,000.00digital $70,627.07Other filed descriptions $16,666.67texting $723.31

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 9, 2026 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.

Report IDs: 101039760, 101044787, 101067510, 101072948.

×

Republican Party of Texas

$182,117.94

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $182,117.94
Total: $182,117.94

mail $182,117.94

Also funds 12 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 30, 2026 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.

Report IDs: 101072948.

Votes2

House Apr 9, 2025

Yea: 147
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 1
Excused: 1

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 97

HB 748 was passed by (Record 97): 147 Yeas, 0 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 147 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 1 (derived from named list)
Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

House Apr 8, 2025

Yea: 149
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 87

CSHB 748, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 87): 149 Yeas, 0 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 149 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses41

For: 40
Against: 1
On: 0

Names

For

Baptist General Convention of Texas Christian Life Commission2 registrations
Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas, Inc.2 registrations
Dallas Police Department1 registration
Harris County Deputies' Organization FOP #391 registration
Houston Police Department1 registration
Self15 registrations
Self; Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County1 registration
Self; Children’s Justice Campaign1 registration
Self; Houston Police Officers’ Union1 registration
Self; HPROA1 registration
Self; SOSCSA2 registrations
Self; Southern Baptist Convention1 registration
Self; Students Engaged in Advancing Texas1 registration
Self; Texas Association Against Sexual Assault1 registration
Self; Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission1 registration
Self; Texas Eagle Forum1 registration
Self; Texas Trial Lawyers Association1 registration
Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops1 registration
Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA)1 registration
Texas Pediatric Society1 registration
Texas Watch1 registration
TexProtects1 registration
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops1 registration

Against

Self1 registration

Sources

41 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.

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

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 7, 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 E by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024

05/27/2025 S Not again placed on intent calendar

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed · Senate Committee Report

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

Coauthors

Trent AshbyRHouse 9

Keith BellRHouse 4

Greg BonnenRHouse 24

Benjamin BumgarnerRHouse 63

Giovanni CapriglioneRHouse 98

Ryan GuillenRHouse 31

Cody HarrisRHouse 8

Hillary HicklandRHouse 55

Suleman LalaniDHouse 76

Terri Leo WilsonRHouse 23

Will MetcalfRHouse 16

Penny Morales ShawDHouse 148

Jared PattersonRHouse 106

Mihaela PlesaDHouse 70

Companion

SB 835 by Paxton (similar)

SB 1587 by Hancock (identical)

Subjects

Charitable & Nonprofit Organizations

Civil Remedies & Liabilities

Crimes--Against Persons--Sexual

Education--Primary & Secondary--General

Minors--Crimes Against

TREY'S LAW (PO3E1)

CHILD ABUSE

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

PROSTITUTION

SEXUAL ABUSE

Text

The text as introduced · 318 words

89R4591 AMF-D

By: Leach
H.B. No. 748

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the enforceability of certain nondisclosure or

confidentiality provisions with respect to an act of sexual abuse

committed against a child.

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

SECTION 1. Title 6, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is

amended by adding Chapter 129C to read as follows:

CHAPTER 129C. AGREEMENTS PROHIBITING DISCLOSURES REGARDING CHILD

SEXUAL ABUSE

Sec. 129C.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Act of sexual abuse" means conduct described by

one or more of the following penal laws:

(A) indecency with a child under Section 21.11,

Penal Code;

(B) sexual assault under Section 22.011, Penal

Code;

(C) aggravated sexual assault under Section

22.021, Penal Code;

(D) sexual performance by a child under Section

43.25, Penal Code;

(E) trafficking of persons under Section

20A.02(a)(3), (4), (7), or (8), Penal Code; and

(F) compelling prostitution under Section 43.05,

Penal Code.

(2) "Child" means a person younger than 17 years of

age.

Sec. 129C.002. CERTAIN PROVISIONS UNENFORCEABLE. Any

provision of a nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement,

employment agreement, settlement agreement, or any other agreement

is void and unenforceable as against the public policy of this state

to the extent the provision:

(1) prohibits a party from notifying, or limits the

party's ability to notify, a local or state law enforcement agency

or any state or federal regulatory agency of an act of sexual abuse

committed against a child; or

(2) prohibits a party from disclosing to any person,

including during any related investigation, prosecution, legal

proceeding, or dispute resolution, facts surrounding any act of

sexual abuse committed against a child, including the identity of

the alleged offender.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to an

agreement entered into before, on, or after the effective date of

this Act.

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

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

Republican Party of Texas

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

Republican Party of Texas

House Apr 9, 2025

House Apr 8, 2025

For

Against

Companion