Texas House bill by Rep. Kerwin sets employment rules to protect children in care facilities

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Helen Kerwin aims to prevent physical and sexual abuse of children by requiring employment verification and criminal history checks for staff at residential treatment centers and shelters, according to the Texas Legislature website.

In the House, 53 Democrats and 84 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, with no opposition.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 11 Democrats and 20 Republicans voted in favor, also with no opposing votes.

Helen Kerwin introduced the bill in the Texas House on Friday, Feb. 21, during the 89th regular legislative session.

Kerwin, a Republican, was elected to the Texas State House in 2025 to represent the state’s 58th House district, replacing previous state representative DeWayne Burns.

According to the Texas Legislature, the bill’s official text was summarized as follows: ‘Relating to hiring and employment requirements for persons in direct contact with children at certain facilities’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill establishes employment requirements for certain facilities to prevent physical or sexual abuse of children. It mandates that facilities, including residential treatment centers and shelters, review state and federal criminal history and conduct employment verification for anyone in potential direct contact with children. This includes employees, volunteers, and independent contractors. A criminal history check must include electronic updates on arrests and convictions. Facilities are prohibited from hiring or retaining individuals with a history of child abuse or if terminated from a previous position for such allegations. Training must be provided to staff on recognizing and reporting abuse, and maintaining appropriate relationships with children. Provisions in separation agreements prohibiting disclosure of abuse are not allowed. The Act will be effective Sept. 1, 2025.

The bill was co-authored by Rep. J.M. Lozano (Republican – District 43), Rep. Cody Vasut (Republican – District 25), and Rep. Stan Gerdes (Republican – District 17), along with 10 other authors.

The bill received its final legislative approval on Wednesday, May 28, and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, June 20.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.