Monitoring the Session

HB 1882

Simmons Bill Shields Businesses From Liability Over Employee Groups

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. Lauren Ashley SimmonsDHouse 146
Why it's charged
Caption mismatch

THE TEXT

“Notwithstanding any other law, a business is not liable to any person, including any public or private entity, based solely on the establishment or existence of an employee resource group”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption speaks only of a business's authority to set up groups or practices. It does not mention that the body also creates a liability shield that overrides any other law, including claims by public entities.

Caption mismatch

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the authority of a business to establish certain employee-related groups or practices.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Caption: authority to set up groups. Bill: a shield that beats any other law. Unions count.

The bill says any Texas business may set up or allow employee groups, including employee resource groups and labor unions, and may adopt undefined "employee-inclusionary practices." It touches every business and anyone who might sue a business over those groups or practices. A business cannot be held liable to any person or public or private entity based solely on having such groups or practices, notwithstanding any other law.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 16, 2025 and referred to the House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development subcommittee on Workforce. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1882 · 2025-01-16

SOLD BY

Rep. Lauren Ashley SimmonsDHouse 146

ITEM

relating to the authority of a business to establish certain employee-related groups or practices.

WHAT IT DOES

Caption: authority to set up groups. Bill: a shield that beats any other law. Unions count.

The bill says any Texas business may set up or allow employee groups, including employee resource groups and labor unions, and may adopt undefined "employee-inclusionary practices." It touches every business and anyone who might sue a business over those groups or practices. A business cannot be held liable to any person or public or private entity based solely on having such groups or practices, notwithstanding any other law.

CHARGES

[x] CAPTION MISMATCHanalysis confidence 45%

THE TEXT

“Notwithstanding any other law, a business is not liable to any person, including any public or private entity, based solely on the establishment or existence of an employee resource group”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption speaks only of a business's authority to set up groups or practices. It does not mention that the body also creates a liability shield that overrides any other law, including claims by public entities.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to s/c on Workforce by Speaker
FILED UNDER

DEI BY ANOTHER NAME

THE TEXT

“employee-inclusionary practices as part of its business operations or business model”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill protects undefined "inclusionary practices" and employee resource groups, the usual vehicles for diversity programs, without using the word diversity.

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

…“a business is not liable to any person, including any public or private entity, based solely on the establishment or existence of an employee resource group, labor union, or other”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill creates a lawsuit shield for businesses that run employee groups or inclusionary practices.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Lauren Ashley Simmons

Donors

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee$17KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15KTexas Sands PAC$12K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 27, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee$17,454.66

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee

$17,454.66

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$17,454.66
Total
$17,454.66
printing $10,819.39Other filed descriptions $6,635.27

Also funds 4 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 30, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 2, 2026 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101072739.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100986942, 101031959, 101060742, 101072739.

Texas Sands PAC$12,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$12,000.00

Cash
$12,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$12,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Oct 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100986942, 101060742, 101072739.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee

$17,454.66

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$17,454.66
Total
$17,454.66
printing $10,819.39Other filed descriptions $6,635.27

Also funds 4 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 30, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 2, 2026 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101072739.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100986942, 101031959, 101060742, 101072739.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$12,000.00

Cash
$12,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$12,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Oct 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100986942, 101060742, 101072739.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Jan 16, 2025

03/14/2025 H Referred to s/c on Workforce by Speaker: Mar 14 2025 2:36PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Trade, Workforce & Economic Development · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Business & Commerce--General

Labor--Management Relations

LABOR UNIONS

Text

The text as introduced · 165 words

89R4963 BCH-D

By: Simmons
H.B. No. 1882

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of a business to establish certain

employee-related groups or practices.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 5, Business & Commerce Code, is

amended by adding Chapter 121 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 121. EMPLOYEE-RELATED GROUPS AND PRACTICES

Sec. 121.001. AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEE-RELATED

GROUPS AND PRACTICES. A business may establish and permit the

establishment of:

(1) an employee-related group or organization,

including an employee resource group or labor union; and

(2) employee-inclusionary practices as part of its

business operations or business model.

Sec. 121.002. LIABILITY OF BUSINESS. Notwithstanding any

other law, a business is not liable to any person, including any

public or private entity, based solely on the establishment or

existence of an employee resource group, labor union, or other

employee-related group or organization or employee-inclusionary

practices.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.