AUSTIN - "Supernatural" actor Jared Padalecki joined the family of David Molak at the Texas State Capitol Friday morning to applaud the passage of David's Law, KENS 5's media partner KVUE-TV reported.
Padalecki said that he was not always a 6'4" actor, and he was bullied in the past. He also said that cyberbullying should not be considered a political issue and advocated for punishment.
As KENS 5 reported, Molak was a 16-year-old Alamo Heights High School student who committed suicide in Jan. 2016.
The San Antonio Police Department said accusations of other students bullying Molak online surrounded his death.
David's dad adds #DavidsLaw would not have passed without hard work of lawmakers pic.twitter.com/v87iHAKGDs
— Ashley Goudeau (@AshleyG_KVUE) May 26, 2017
The bill classifies cyberbullying as a misdemeanor. It also allows courts to issue subpoenas to people who anonymously harass minors online. It would require schools to adopt cyberbullying policies and report instances of such actions to the parents of victims and perpetrators, the Texas Tribune reported.
Lawmakers from across the state also showed their support for the bill Friday, and Padalecki and his wife were honored on the floor of the Texas Senate.
