What you need to know
House Bill 18 tightens online restrictions for Texans under 18 years old. A federal judge temporarily blocked part of the law Aug. 30 while litigation continues.
The measure—known as the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act—requires Texans to register their age when making new accounts on social media and other websites. Digital service providers must not sell or share a minor’s personal information; collect a minor’s precise geolocation data; or allow minors to make purchases on their sites, the law states.
HB 18 also allows parents to monitor their child’s activity on social media and adjust their privacy settings.
The Computer and Communications Industry Association and NetChoice sued Texas on July 30, arguing the law violates the First Amendment. The two organizations represent technology and social media companies such as Google, Meta, X and Snapchat.
U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman suspended a requirement that sites filter and block minors from seeing “harmful content” promoting or glorifying suicide, self harm, eating disorders, substance abuse, bullying, trafficking and more.
“Let me be very clear that our children are not the customers of these platforms—they are the commodity being traded. Their young minds are being shaped by addictive algorithms,” said bill author Rep. Shelby Slawson, R-Stephenville, as the Texas House passed HB 18 last April.
The law would not limit content shared by government agencies, financial institutions, schools, medical facilities or small businesses.
What they’re saying
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression also sued Texas over the SCOPE Act, although a decision has not been reached in the case.
“In a misguided attempt to make the internet ‘safe,’ Texas’ law treats adults like children,” said FIRE chief counsel Bob Corn-Revere in a statement. “But even minors have First Amendment rights. Whether they’re 16 or 65, this law infringes on the rights of all Texans.”
More details
Senate Bill 241 states that manufacturers of brand-name insulin must provide written notice to the state if a generic version of the drug is not available.
“The price of insulin has increased significantly over the last several decades, and there is still no biosimilar or generic version. ...There are concerns that there may be other factors involved in the lack of generics in the market,” wrote Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, in a May 2023 analysis of the bill.
House Bill 1710 requires state jail facilities to notify a judge when a defendant has spent 75 days in jail. According to the bill analysis, sentencing judges were not previously notified when defendants were transferred from county to state jails, which sometimes caused defendants to serve longer sentences than intended.
Senate Bill 1841 updates the requirements for family violence shelters, which provide lodging and support to survivors of domestic abuse, to ensure the shelters “represent survivors' needs more accurately.”
To qualify for state funding, the shelters must provide trauma-informed services, including crisis assistance and intervention; peer support; safety planning and more, the bill states.
House Bill 4510 pushes back the deadline for state agencies to submit annual financial reports from Nov. 20 to Dec. 15 of each year.
