TX
Texas Senate Bill SB2420

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2420

Filed
3/13/25  
Out of Senate Committee
4/7/25  
Voted on by Senate
4/16/25  
Out of House Committee
5/5/25  
Voted on by House
5/9/25  
Governor Action
5/27/25  

Caption

Relating to the regulation of platforms for the sale and distribution of software applications for mobile devices.

Impact

The implications of SB2420 on existing state laws are significant, particularly in the realm of online safety and data protection for minors. By requiring rigorous age verification processes and parental consent, the bill transitions the responsibility of safeguarding minors from individual families to app store operators. This could set a precedent for how digital content is managed and distributed in Texas, impacting not only local developers but also larger software application companies that operate nationally or internationally.

Summary

SB2420, known as the App Store Accountability Act, introduces regulations for platforms that sell and distribute software applications for mobile devices in Texas. The bill mandates app stores to verify the age of users before allowing access to software applications, requiring that any minor's account be affiliated with a parent or guardian account. This regulation aims to protect minors from inappropriate content and ensure parental oversight for software purchases and downloads. App developers will also have specific duties concerning age ratings and the handling of personal data, which must comply with established standards.

Sentiment

The sentiment surrounding SB2420 reflects a blend of support for child safety and concerns regarding overreach into digital privacy. Advocates argue that the bill represents a necessary step to protect young users from harmful content and promote responsible use of technology among minors. However, critics caution that it could impose undue burdens on app developers and app stores, stifling innovation and creating barriers to access for young users while potentially complicating the user experience for all digital consumers.

Contention

Notable points of contention within the discussions around SB2420 center on the balance between child safety and the rights of app developers. Some stakeholders worry that the bill's strict requirements could lead to the disproportionate regulation of the mobile application marketplace, potentially harming small developers and limiting the diversity of available digital content. Furthermore, concerns about how effectively age verification can be implemented while maintaining user privacy and data security were also significant topics during discussions, highlighting the complexities of regulating technology in a digital age.

Companion Bills

TX HB4901

Identical Relating to the regulation of platforms for the sale and distribution of software applications for mobile devices.

Previously Filed As

TX HB18

Relating to the protection of minors from harmful, deceptive, or unfair trade practices in connection with the use of certain digital services and electronic devices, including the use and transfer of electronic devices to students by a public school.

TX HB1181

Relating to the publication or distribution of sexual material harmful to minors on an Internet website; providing a civil penalty.

TX HB4439

Relating to the production, sale, distribution, delivery, and regulation of consumable hemp products; creating a criminal offense.

TX HB4

Relating to the regulation of the collection, use, processing, and treatment of consumers' personal data by certain business entities; imposing a civil penalty.

TX HB1844

Relating to the regulation of the collection, use, processing, and treatment of consumers' personal data by certain business entities; imposing a civil penalty.

TX HB1936

Relating to electronic device filters for certain explicit material; creating a criminal offense; providing a civil penalty.

TX SB417

Relating to electronic device filters for certain explicit material; providing a civil penalty.

TX HB4412

Relating to online agreements between certain minors and certain digital service providers.

TX HB3652

Relating to the regulation of the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, sale, testing, possession, and use of cannabis and cannabis products; authorizing the imposition of taxes and fees; requiring an occupational license; creating a criminal offense.

TX HB4948

Relating to the regulation of Internet products, services, and features accessed by children; providing a civil penalty.

Similar Bills

TX HB16

Relating to the ethics of public servants, including the authority and duties of the Texas Ethics Commission, the regulation of certain contributions and expenditures, and the reporting of political contributions and political expenditures and personal financial information; creating a criminal offense.

TX HB1877

Relating to the ethics of public servants, including regulations relating to certain contributions, expenditures, and reports, and certain authority and duties of the Texas Ethics Commission; creating a criminal offense.

TX HB779

Relating to the ethics of public servants, including the authority and duties of the Texas Ethics Commission, the regulation of certain contributions and expenditures, and the reporting of political contributions and political expenditures and personal financial information; creating a criminal offense.

TX HB4901

Relating to the regulation of platforms for the sale and distribution of software applications for mobile devices.

TX HJR15

Proposing a constitutional amendment establishing an independent redistricting commission to establish districts for the election of the members of the United States House of Representatives elected from this state, the Texas Senate, and the Texas House of Representatives.

TX SJR12

Proposing a constitutional amendment establishing an independent redistricting commission to establish districts for the election of the members of the United States House of Representatives elected from this state, the Texas Senate, and the Texas House of Representatives.

TX SJR8

Proposing a constitutional amendment establishing an independent redistricting commission to establish districts for the election of the members of the United States House of Representatives elected from this state, the Texas Senate, and the Texas House of Representatives.

TX SJR54

Proposing a constitutional amendment establishing an independent redistricting commission to establish districts for the election of the members of the United States House of Representatives elected from this state, the Texas Senate, and the Texas House of Representatives.