SB 13 Texas Senate · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to a school district's library materials and catalog, the establishment of local school library advisory councils, and parental rights regarding public school library catalogs and access by the parent's child to library materials.

SB 13 requires Texas school districts to provide parents with access to records about their child's school library materials, including books or digital resources checked out. It mandates that school libraries prohibit the acquisition of materials rated "sexually explicit" by vendors or deemed "harmful" under Texas law, and restricts access to content described as "pervasively vulgar" or "educationally unsuitable." The bill also creates local school library advisory councils to help develop library policies. These changes directly affect parents, school districts, and students by expanding parental oversight of library resources and setting new standards for library collections. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
Jun 2025
House Passage
Jun 2025
Signed into Law
Jun 2025
Introduced Feb 12, 2025 Signed Jun 20, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed Enrolled · 1 edit · Jun 20, 2025
MINOR
This bill was finalized as an enrolled version with minor formatting and text cleanup changes. The substantive policy content remains the same as the previous version, including provisions for parental access to library catalogs, creation of local school library advisory councils, and procedures for challenging library materials. No new funding amounts, eligibility criteria, or substantive policy changes were introduced in this version.
Scope change
No change in scope or applicability; the bill applies to all school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in Texas
TECHNICAL

Minor formatting and text cleanup changes including removal of placeholder text, correction of line breaks, and standardization of spacing throughout the document

Floor votes · Senate Mar 19, 2025 · House May 28, 2025

How they voted

228
Passed
Total votes 30
Mar 19, 2025
D Democratic10
2 Yea 8 Nay
80% Nay
R Republican20
20 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
88
Key actions
25
Committee
17
Amendments
10
Jun 20, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by the Governor
executive
Jun 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed in the House
lower
Jun 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed in the Senate
upper
May 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate adopts conference committee report
upper
May 31, 2025
Lower · Passed
House adopts conference committee report
lower
May 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
House grants request for conference committee
lower
May 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate requests conference committee-reported
lower
May 29, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate requests conference committee
upper
May 29, 2025
Introduced
House amendment(s) laid before the Senate
upper
May 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
House passage as amended reported
upper
May 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed
lower
May 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed to 3rd reading as amended
lower
May 26, 2025
Amended
Amendment withdrawn
lower
May 26, 2025
Introduced
Amendment(s) offered
lower
May 26, 2025
Amended
Amendment fails of adoption
lower
May 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amended
lower
May 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report sent to Calendars
lower
May 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report distributed
lower
May 16, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably as substituted
lower
May 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Left pending in committee
lower
May 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Committee
Referred to Public Education
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
Mar 20, 2025
Introduced
Received from the Senate
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed
upper
Mar 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed to engrossment as amended
upper
Mar 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
Mar 19, 2025
Introduced
Amendment(s) offered
upper
Mar 5, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report printed and distributed
upper
Mar 5, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably as substituted
upper
Mar 4, 2025
Upper · Passed
Vote taken in committee
upper
Feb 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Left pending in committee
upper
Feb 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Testimony taken in committee
upper
Feb 13, 2025
Committee
Referred to Education K-16
upper
Feb 13, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
upper
22 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors