Monitoring the Session

SB 1526

bill reimbursing protective services workers for protective order lawyers

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Royce WestDSenate 23

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to reimbursing certain Department of Family and Protective Services employees for certain legal expenses.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Up to $5,000 in lawyer fees.

The bill lets the Department of Family and Protective Services pay back current employees who work in child, elder or disability protection for lawyer fees, up to $5,000, when they seek a protective or restraining order while on the job. It keeps the existing rule that the department may cover up to $10,000 in defense lawyer fees when such an employee is prosecuted and cleared. The department must write rules for the new reimbursement, and the change takes effect September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 21, 2025 and referred to the Senate Health & Human Services committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1526 · 2025-02-21

SOLD BY

Sen. Royce WestDSenate 23

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to reimbursing certain Department of Family and Protective Services employees for certain legal expenses.

WHAT IT DOES

Up to $5,000 in lawyer fees.

The bill lets the Department of Family and Protective Services pay back current employees who work in child, elder or disability protection for lawyer fees, up to $5,000, when they seek a protective or restraining order while on the job. It keeps the existing rule that the department may cover up to $10,000 in defense lawyer fees when such an employee is prosecuted and cleared. The department must write rules for the new reimbursement, and the change takes effect September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Health & Human Services
  5. Co-author authorized
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Royce West

Donors

Skyview Development LLC$36KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$20KErle Allen Nye Jr.$15,000

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 Jun 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.

Skyview Development LLC$36,332.00

Skyview Development LLC

$36,332.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$36,332.00
Total
$36,332.00
Other filed descriptions $32,032.00fundraiser $4,300.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 1, 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: 100987569, 101009506, 101058878, 101063137.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$20,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

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 · Oct 11, 2024 to Oct 10, 2025. 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: 100987569, 101063137.

Erle Allen Nye Jr.$15,000.00
Money

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

×

Skyview Development LLC

$36,332.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$36,332.00
Total
$36,332.00
Other filed descriptions $32,032.00fundraiser $4,300.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 1, 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: 100987569, 101009506, 101058878, 101063137.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

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 · Oct 11, 2024 to Oct 10, 2025. 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: 100987569, 101063137.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Feb 21, 2025

03/06/2025 S Referred to Health & Human Services

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

Coauthors
Borris MilesDSenate 13

Senate committee · Health & Human Services · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 3750 by Manuel (very similar)

Subjects

Aging

Disabilities, Persons with

Family--Child Protection

State Employees

PROTECTIVE ORDERS

FAMILY & PROTECTIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 280 words

89R9598 RAL-F

By: West
S.B. No. 1526

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to reimbursing certain Department of Family and Protective

Services employees for certain legal expenses.

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

SECTION 1. Section 40.060, Human Resources Code, is amended

to read as follows:

Sec. 40.060. INDEMNIFICATION AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR LEGAL

EXPENSES. (a) If a present or former employee of the department

who is or was involved in activities relating to the protection of

children or elderly persons or persons with disabilities is

criminally prosecuted for conduct involving the person's

misfeasance or nonfeasance in the course and scope of the person's

employment and is found not guilty after a trial or appeal or if the

complaint or indictment is dismissed without a plea of guilty or

nolo contendere being entered, the department may indemnify the

person or the person's estate for the reasonable attorney's fees

incurred in defense of the prosecution up to a maximum of $10,000.

(b) If a present employee of the department who is involved

in activities relating to the protection of children or elderly

persons or persons with disabilities seeks a protective or

restraining order while in the course and scope of their employment

with the department, the department may reimburse the person for

the reasonable attorney's fees incurred in obtaining the protective

or restraining order up to a maximum amount of $5,000.

SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date

of this Act, the Department of Family and Protective Services shall

adopt rules to implement Section 40.060(b), Human Resources Code,

as added by this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.