Overview

• The Texas House passed House Bill 186, prohibiting minors from creating social media accounts and requiring age verification for all users, in a 116-25 bipartisan vote.
• House Bill 499, also approved in the House, mandates mental health warning labels on social media platforms, requiring user acknowledgment before access.
• The proposed legislation allows parents to request the deletion of their child's social media accounts, with enforcement by the Texas Attorney General's office.
• If passed by the Senate and signed by Governor Greg Abbott, the laws will take effect on September 1, 2025, with access restrictions for minors starting January 1, 2026.
• Tech companies are expected to challenge the bills in court, citing First Amendment concerns, as lawmakers emphasize alarming youth mental health statistics to justify the measures.