Monitoring the Session

SB 842

ringside doctors at combative sports get a lawsuit shield

Became law

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Charles SchwertnerRSenate 5

Initial review · graded Oct 22, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to immunity for ringside physicians assigned to combative sports events.

Caption from analyzed text · version H.

Summary

Fighters can still sue, but only for gross negligence.

The bill shields ringside physicians at combative sports events from civil lawsuits over acts within their duties at those events. It touches the doctors assigned to work boxing and similar events, and the fighters or others who might want to sue them. On the ground, a physician can be sued only for gross negligence, and the rule covers lawsuits filed after the law takes effect.

Labels

Labels: INSTANT LAW. Took effect immediately, on May 24, 2025. 833 of the 1,185 graded 89R laws took effect Sep 1, 2025 (derived from the bill histories, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB842 · 2025-01-17

SOLD BY

Sen. Charles SchwertnerRSenate 5

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to immunity for ringside physicians assigned to combative sports events.

WHAT IT DOES

Fighters can still sue, but only for gross negligence.

The bill shields ringside physicians at combative sports events from civil lawsuits over acts within their duties at those events. It touches the doctors assigned to work boxing and similar events, and the fighters or others who might want to sue them. On the ground, a physician can be sued only for gross negligence, and the rule covers lawsuits filed after the law takes effect.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · February 17, 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

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Business & Commerce
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in public hearing
  10. Vote taken in committee
  11. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  12. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  13. Committee report printed and distributed
  14. Placed on intent calendar
  15. Not again placed on intent calendar
  16. Placed on intent calendar
  17. Co-author authorized
  18. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  19. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  20. Vote recorded in Journal
  21. Three day rule suspended
  22. Record vote
  23. Read 3rd time
  24. Passed
  25. Record vote
  26. Reported engrossed
  27. Received from the Senate
  28. Read first time
  29. Referred to Licensing & Administrative Procedures
  30. Considered in public hearing
  31. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  32. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  33. Committee report distributed
  34. Committee report sent to Calendars
  35. Laid out in lieu of companion HB 5506
  36. Read 2nd time
  37. Passed to 3rd reading
  38. Record vote RV#2087
  39. Read 3rd time
  40. Passed
  41. Record vote RV#2152
  42. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  43. House passage reported
  44. Reported enrolled
  45. Signed in the Senate
  46. Signed in the House
  47. Sent to the Governor
  48. Signed by the Governor
  49. Effective immediately
FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

…“a ringside physician is immune from civil liability arising from acts within the scope of the physician's responsibilities at a combative sports event”

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

The bill creates a lawsuit shield for one class of physicians, leaving only gross negligence claims open.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 141 yea · 1 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 12, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · Mar 19, 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

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Charles Schwertner

Donors

Donors report through Texans for Charles Schwertner.

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 Oct 24, 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.

Money

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

Votes5

House May 12, 2025

Yea
141
Nay
1
Present, not voting
1
Absent
4
Excused
3
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2152

SB 842 was passed by (Record 2152): 141 Yeas, 1 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 141 (published)
  • Nay: 1 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

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

House May 10, 2025

Yea
127
Nay
0
Present, not voting
1
Absent
2
Excused
20
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2087

SB 842 was passed to third reading by (Record 2087): 127 Yeas, 0 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 127 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 20 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Mar 19, 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 Schwertner moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 842 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 Mar 19, 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 Schwertner moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 842 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 Mar 19, 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.

Witnesses5
For
3
Against
0
On
2
Names

For

  • Self1 registration
  • Texans for Lawsuit Reform1 registration
  • Texas Medical Association1 registration

On

  • TDLR2 registrations
Sources

5 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 I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · February 17, 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 Senate · Filed Jan 17, 2025

05/24/2025 E Effective immediately

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
Royce WestDSenate 23
Sponsors
Dade PhelanRHouse 21

House committee · Licensing & Administrative Procedures · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Business & Commerce · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Companion

HB 5506 by Phelan (identical)

Subjects

Amusements, Games, Sports

Civil Remedies & Liabilities

Malpractice--Professionals

Occupational Regulation--Other Trades & Professions

PHYSICIANS

Text

The text as introduced · 197 words

89R8276 PRL-F

By: Schwertner
S.B. No. 842

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to immunity for ringside physicians assigned to combative

sports events.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 2052, Occupations Code, is

amended by adding Section 2052.255 to read as follows:

Sec. 2052.255. IMMUNITY FOR RINGSIDE PHYSICIANS.

(a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a ringside

physician is immune from civil liability arising from acts within

the scope of the physician's responsibilities at a combative sports

event.

(b) The immunity from civil liability provided by

Subsection (a) does not apply to a cause of action arising from an

act or omission constituting gross negligence of the physician.

SECTION 2. Section 2052.255, Occupations Code, as added by

this Act, applies only to an action commenced on or after the

effective date of this Act.

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.