Bill Text: TX HB1974 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the enforceability of certain nondisclosure or confidentiality provisions with respect to an act of sexual abuse committed against a child.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-22 - Filed [HB1974 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB1974-Introduced.html
| By: Cook | H.B. No. 1974 | |
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| 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. | ||
