AUSTIN, Texas — A bill being taken up in the 89th Texas Legislature's regular session could prohibit minors from accessing social media platforms.

Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, filed House Bill 186 last November.

HB 186 would require social media sites to implement age verification with the goal of blocking those younger than 18 years of age from accessing the sites.

The bill would also order sites to provide a way for parents or guardians to send requests to remove their child’s account. Companies will have 10 days to remove them.

Social media sites that don’t adhere to the requirements under the ban will be subject to action by the consumer protection division of the attorney general’s office.

The bill was left pending in committee last week and its future is uncertain.

Patterson calls social media “the most harmful product our kids have legal access to in Texas.”

“I consider this to be the most important bill I will present to my House colleagues this session,” Patterson said in a post on X.