HB 2331

Hopper Bill Makes Encouraging Someone To Stay Count As Smuggling

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Rep. Andy HopperRHouse 64

Why it's charged

Dragnet

THE CAPTION

“relating to the prosecution of the offense of smuggling of persons.”

Caption, introduced version (I)

THE TEXT

“encourages or induces a person to enter or remain”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption talks about smuggling, but removing the concealing, harboring, or shielding element lets the offense reach plain encouragement or inducement to stay, with no hiding or transport at all. That covers conduct well beyond what the caption's word 'smuggling' suggests.

Dragnet

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 prosecution of the offense of smuggling of persons.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Concealing, harboring or shielding? Deleted. Encouraging someone to stay is enough.

The bill rewrites one part of the Texas offense of smuggling of persons. Right now, encouraging or inducing someone to enter or stay in the country unlawfully is an offense only if it is done by concealing, harboring, or shielding that person from detection; the bill deletes that requirement. As a result, anyone who encourages or induces a person to enter or remain in violation of state or federal law could face the smuggling offense even with no hiding or transport involved, starting with conduct on or after September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 3, 2025 and referred to the House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2331 · 2025-02-03

SOLD BY

Rep. Andy HopperRHouse 64

+ 14 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the prosecution of the offense of smuggling of persons.

WHAT IT DOES

Concealing, harboring or shielding? Deleted. Encouraging someone to stay is enough.

CHARGES

[x] DRAGNETanalysis confidence 60%

THE CAPTION

“relating to the prosecution of the offense of smuggling of persons.”

Caption, introduced version (I)

THE TEXT

“encourages or induces a person to enter or remain”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Feb 3, 2025Filed
Mar 14, 2025Read first time
Mar 14, 2025Referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

“encourages or induces a person to enter or remain”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

By dropping the concealment requirement, the bill makes encouraging or inducing unlawful entry or presence an offense by itself, which can reach what people say.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Andy Hopper

Donors

Texans United for a Conservative Majority PAC$165K Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$111K Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC$106K

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 24, 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.

Texans United for a Conservative Majority PAC$165,000.00

Texans United for a Conservative Majority PAC

$165,000.00

Cash: $145,000.00
Paid by others: $20,000.00
Total: $165,000.00

digital $20,000.00

Also funds 30 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 3, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 30, 2025 to Jul 13, 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: 101012447, 101031840, 101035276, 101045753, 101059537, 101069128.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$111,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$111,000.00

Cash: $105,000.00
Paid by others: $6,000.00
Total: $111,000.00

poll $6,000.00

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 · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 18, 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: 101012447, 101031840, 101035276, 101045753, 101072124.

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC$106,000.00

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

$106,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $6,000.00
Total: $106,000.00

poll $6,000.00

Also funds 44 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jun 24, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Feb 4, 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: 101012447, 101045753.

Money

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

Texans United for a Conservative Majority PAC

$165,000.00

Cash: $145,000.00
Paid by others: $20,000.00
Total: $165,000.00

digital $20,000.00

Also funds 30 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 3, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 30, 2025 to Jul 13, 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: 101012447, 101031840, 101035276, 101045753, 101059537, 101069128.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$111,000.00

Cash: $105,000.00
Paid by others: $6,000.00
Total: $111,000.00

poll $6,000.00

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 · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 18, 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: 101012447, 101031840, 101035276, 101045753, 101072124.

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

$106,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $6,000.00
Total: $106,000.00

poll $6,000.00

Also funds 44 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jun 24, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Feb 4, 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: 101012447, 101045753.

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 Feb 3, 2025

03/14/2025 H Referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs: 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.

Coauthors

Benjamin BumgarnerRHouse 63

Carrie IsaacRHouse 73

Marc LaHoodRHouse 121

Mitch LittleRHouse 65

AJ LouderbackRHouse 30

J. M. LozanoRHouse 43

Will MetcalfRHouse 16

Brent MoneyRHouse 2

Matt MorganRHouse 26

Alan SchoolcraftRHouse 44

Shelby SlawsonRHouse 59

Tony TinderholtRHouse 94

Steve TothRHouse 15

Wes VirdellRHouse 53

House committee · Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Aliens

Crimes--Against Persons--General

Text

The text as introduced · 263 words

89R3931 JDK-D

By: Hopper
H.B. No. 2331

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the prosecution of the offense of smuggling of persons.

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

SECTION 1. Section 20.05(a), Penal Code, is amended to read

as follows:

(a) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly:

(1) uses a motor vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, or

other means of conveyance to transport an individual with the

intent to:

(A) conceal the individual from a peace officer

or special investigator; or

(B) flee from a person the actor knows is a peace

officer or special investigator attempting to lawfully arrest or

detain the actor;

(2) encourages or induces a person to enter or remain

in this country in violation of state or federal law [ by concealing,

harboring, or shielding that person from detection ]; or

(3) assists, guides, or directs two or more

individuals to enter or remain on agricultural land without the

effective consent of the owner.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.

An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is

governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,

and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For

purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the

effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred

before that date.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.