SB 835: Paxton Bill Voids Gag Clauses Covering Sexual Abuse

Caption

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

Caption from analyzed text · version F.

Summary

Survivors can speak up. The settlement amount and payment terms can stay private.

The bill voids any clause in a nondisclosure, settlement, employment or other agreement that stops a person from telling anyone about an act of sexual abuse or the facts around it. It touches abuse survivors, the people and organizations who signed such agreements with them, and anyone trying to enforce one, while still letting parties keep a settlement's amount and payment terms private. Starting September 1, 2025, these gag clauses cannot be enforced, and anyone trying to enforce an older one must first win a final declaratory judgment that it is enforceable.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB835 · 2025-01-17

SOLD BY

Sen. Angela PaxtonRSenate 8

+ 14 coauthors

ITEM

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

WHAT IT DOES

Survivors can speak up. The settlement amount and payment terms can stay private.

The bill voids any clause in a nondisclosure, settlement, employment or other agreement that stops a person from telling anyone about an act of sexual abuse or the facts around it. It touches abuse survivors, the people and organizations who signed such agreements with them, and anyone trying to enforce one, while still letting parties keep a settlement's amount and payment terms private. Starting September 1, 2025, these gag clauses cannot be enforced, and anyone trying to enforce an older one must first win a final declaratory judgment that it is enforceable.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · May 13, 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

Jan 17, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Jan 17, 2025Filed
Feb 13, 2025Read first time
Feb 13, 2025Referred to State Affairs
Apr 10, 2025Co-author authorized
May 1, 2025Co-author authorized
May 7, 2025Posting rule suspended
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 13, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 13, 2025Vote taken in committee
May 15, 2025Co-author authorized
May 15, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
May 15, 2025Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
May 15, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
May 15, 2025Printing rule suspended
May 15, 2025Rules suspended-Intent Calendar
May 15, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
May 15, 2025Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
May 15, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
May 15, 2025Three day rule suspended
May 15, 2025Record vote
May 15, 2025Read 3rd time
May 15, 2025Passed
May 15, 2025Record vote
May 15, 2025Reported engrossed
May 16, 2025Received from the Senate
May 20, 2025Read first time
May 20, 2025Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
May 21, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 21, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 23, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 23, 2025Committee report distributed
May 23, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 23, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 25, 2025Placed on Major State Calendar
May 25, 2025Read 2nd time
May 25, 2025Passed to 3rd reading
May 25, 2025Record vote RV#3509
May 26, 2025Read 3rd time
May 26, 2025Passed
May 26, 2025Record vote RV#3543
May 26, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 26, 2025House passage reported
May 26, 2025Reported enrolled
May 27, 2025Signed in the Senate
May 28, 2025Signed in the House
May 28, 2025Sent to the Governor
Jun 20, 2025Signed by the Governor
Jun 20, 2025Effective on 9/1/25

FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

…“is void and unenforceable as against the public policy of this state to the extent the provision prohibits a person, including a party, from disclosing an act of sexual abuse”…

Bill text, enrolled version (F)

The bill strips the power to sue or enforce a contract to keep sexual abuse survivors silent, expanding what they may lawfully say.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 144 yea · 0 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 26, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · May 15, 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

Angela Paxton

Donors

James Stanton$47,500Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$40KGary Blake$30,000

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 · Oct 27, 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.

James Stanton$47,500.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$40,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$40,000.00

Cash: $40,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $40,000.00

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 · Dec 11, 2024 to Jun 30, 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: 100982305, 101012314.

Gary Blake$30,000.00

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$40,000.00

Cash: $40,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $40,000.00

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 · Dec 11, 2024 to Jun 30, 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: 100982305, 101012314.

Votes5

House May 26, 2025

Yea: 144
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 4
Excused: 1

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3543

SB 835 was passed by (Record 3543): 144 Yeas, 0 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 144 (published)
Nay: 0 (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 May 25, 2025

Yea: 144
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 0
Absent: 0
Excused: 6

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3509

SB 835 was passed to third reading by (Record 3509): 144 Yeas, 0 Nays, 0 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 144 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 0 (published)
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 6 (derived from named list)

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

Senate May 15, 2025

Yea: 31
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Paxton moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 835 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

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

Senate May 15, 2025

Yea: 31
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Paxton moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 835 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

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

Senate May 15, 2025

Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by a viva voce vote.

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

Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

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

Witnesses20

For: 19
Against: 1
On: 0

Names

For

Baptist General Convention of Texas Christian Life Commission1 registration
Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas, Inc.1 registration
City of San Antonio1 registration
Self9 registrations
Self; Childrens Advocacy Center of Collin County1 registration
Self; SOSCSA1 registration
Self; Southern Baptist Convention1 registration
Self; Texas Association Against Sexual Assault1 registration
Self; Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission1 registration
Self; Texas Eagle Forum1 registration
Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops1 registration

Against

Self1 registration

Sources

20 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

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 S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · May 13, 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 F by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Jan 17, 2025

06/20/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25

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

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

Coauthors

Carol AlvaradoDSenate 6

Paul BettencourtRSenate 7

César BlancoDSenate 29

Donna CampbellRSenate 25

Molly CookDSenate 15

Sarah EckhardtDSenate 14

Brent HagenbuchRSenate 30

Bob HallRSenate 2

Adam HinojosaRSenate 27

Juan "Chuy" HinojosaDSenate 20

Lois KolkhorstRSenate 18

José MenéndezDSenate 26

Tan ParkerRSenate 12

Charles PerryRSenate 28

Companion

HB 748 by Leach (similar)

HB 1974 by Cook (very similar)

Subjects

Civil Remedies & Liabilities

Crimes--Against Persons--Sexual

Minors--Crimes Against

TREY'S LAW (PO3E1)

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

PROSTITUTION

SEXUAL ASSAULT

Text

The text as introduced · 326 words

89R9201 AMF-D

By: Paxton
S.B. No. 835

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. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "act of sexual

abuse" means conduct described by:

(1) Section 261.001(1)(E), (F), (G), (H), (K), or (L),

Family Code; or

(2) 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.

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

provision of a nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement, or

nondisclosure or confidentiality provision of an 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 any 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

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

House May 26, 2025

House May 25, 2025

Senate May 15, 2025

Senate May 15, 2025

Senate May 15, 2025

For

Against

Companion