89R5079 SCR-D
By: Schatzline H.B. No. 4976
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to age verification requirements for digital service
providers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 509.051, Business &
Commerce Code, as added by Chapter 795 (H.B. 18), Acts of the 88th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 509.051. DIGITAL SERVICE PROVIDER DUTY TO REGISTER AND
VERIFY AGE OF USER.
SECTION 2. Sections 509.051(a) and (b), Business & Commerce
Code, as added by Chapter 795 (H.B. 18), Acts of the 88th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, are amended to read as follows:
(a) A digital service provider may not enter into an
agreement with a person to create an account with a digital service
unless:
(1) the person has registered the person's age with the
digital service provider; and
(2) if the person is 18 years of age or older, the
digital service provider has verified the person's age using a
commercially reasonable age verification method.
(b) A person who registers the person's age as younger than
18 years of age is considered to be a known minor to the digital
service provider until:
(1) on or after the person's 18th birthday; and
(2) the digital service provider verifies the person's
age using a commercially reasonable age verification method.
SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
an agreement entered into on or after the effective date of this
Act. An agreement entered into before the effective date of this
Act is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the
effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for
that purpose.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.