Monitoring the Session

HB 2352

Dutton Bill Lets Phone Makers Just ‘Allow’ Disabling Tech

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. Harold V. Dutton Jr.DHouse 142
Why it's charged
The hole

THE TEXT

…“shall equip the device or allow the device to be equipped with technology”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption says manufacturers will be required to disable stolen phones. Under the 'or allow' option, a maker meets the duty without building in any disabling tool, so long as it merely permits one to be added.

The hole

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 requiring wireless telephone service providers and mobile device manufacturers to disable certain stolen mobile devices.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Makers must “equip the device or allow” the tech. Pick “allow,” build nothing!

The bill bars wireless phone companies in Texas from knowingly serving a phone they know or have reason to believe is stolen, and requires them to cut off service when the account holder or prepaid owner reports the phone stolen. It also requires makers of phones sold in Texas to build in, or allow, technology that lets the owner who reports a theft make the phone unusable. The carrier rule starts September 1, 2025, and the manufacturer rule covers only phones made on or after that date.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 3, 2025 and referred to the House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2352 · 2025-02-03

SOLD BY

Rep. Harold V. Dutton Jr.DHouse 142

ITEM

relating to requiring wireless telephone service providers and mobile device manufacturers to disable certain stolen mobile devices.

WHAT IT DOES

Makers must “equip the device or allow” the tech. Pick “allow,” build nothing!

The bill bars wireless phone companies in Texas from knowingly serving a phone they know or have reason to believe is stolen, and requires them to cut off service when the account holder or prepaid owner reports the phone stolen. It also requires makers of phones sold in Texas to build in, or allow, technology that lets the owner who reports a theft make the phone unusable. The carrier rule starts September 1, 2025, and the manufacturer rule covers only phones made on or after that date.

CHARGES

[x] THE HOLEanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

…“shall equip the device or allow the device to be equipped with technology”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption says manufacturers will be required to disable stolen phones. Under the 'or allow' option, a maker meets the duty without building in any disabling tool, so long as it merely permits one to be added.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Trade, Workforce & Economic Development
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Harold V. Dutton Jr.

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$66KTexas Sands PAC$58KCharter Schools Now PAC$36K

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 · Jul 29, 2024 to Oct 17, 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 Trial Lawyers Association PAC$65,748.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$65,748.00

Cash
$32,500.00
Paid by others
$33,248.00
Total
$65,748.00
mail $33,248.00

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 17, 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: 100986461, 101011085, 101033172, 101044523, 101044526, 101072841.

Texas Sands PAC$58,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$58,000.00

Cash
$58,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$58,000.00

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 Feb 3, 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: 100986461, 101044526.

Charter Schools Now PAC$36,000.00

Charter Schools Now PAC

$36,000.00

Cash
$1,000.00
Paid by others
$35,000.00
Total
$36,000.00
Other filed descriptions $35,000.00

Also funds 89 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jan 22, 2026 to Feb 28, 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: 101044523, 101061631.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$65,748.00

Cash
$32,500.00
Paid by others
$33,248.00
Total
$65,748.00
mail $33,248.00

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 17, 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: 100986461, 101011085, 101033172, 101044523, 101044526, 101072841.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$58,000.00

Cash
$58,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$58,000.00

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 Feb 3, 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: 100986461, 101044526.

×

Charter Schools Now PAC

$36,000.00

Cash
$1,000.00
Paid by others
$35,000.00
Total
$36,000.00
Other filed descriptions $35,000.00

Also funds 89 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jan 22, 2026 to Feb 28, 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: 101044523, 101061631.

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 Trade, Workforce & Economic Development: 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

EMAIL & ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPHONES & TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES

Text

The text as introduced · 342 words

89R3230 SRA-D

By: Dutton
H.B. No. 2352

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring wireless telephone service providers and

mobile device manufacturers to disable certain stolen mobile

devices.

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

SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 10, Business & Commerce Code,

is amended by adding Chapter 307 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 307. DISABLING STOLEN MOBILE DEVICES

Sec. 307.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Authorized customer" means, with respect to a

mobile device:

(A) the person who holds the commercial wireless

telephone service account for the device; or

(B) if the device is a phone for which particular

amounts of service are purchased in advance, the person who owns the

phone.

(2) "Mobile device" means a handheld mobile device

that:

(A) is designed to enable the user to engage in

voice communications using a commercial wireless telephone

service;

(B) is capable of operating on a long-term

evolution network or successor wireless data network communication

standard; and

(C) may possess capabilities that include

built-in applications, Internet access, Internet browsing, digital

voice service, text messaging, and e-mail.

Sec. 307.002. DISABLING SERVICE TO STOLEN MOBILE DEVICES.

(a) A provider of wireless telephone services in this state may not

knowingly provide services on a mobile device that the provider

knows or has reason to believe is stolen.

(b) On receipt of notification from an authorized customer

that a mobile device has been stolen, a provider of wireless

telephone services shall suspend or otherwise cease providing

wireless telephone services to the device.

Sec. 307.003. DISABLING STOLEN MOBILE DEVICES. A

manufacturer of a mobile device to be sold in this state shall equip

the device or allow the device to be equipped with technology that

permits an authorized customer who reports the device stolen to

render the device inoperable.

SECTION 2. Section 307.003, Business & Commerce Code, as

added by this Act, applies only to a mobile device manufactured on

or after the effective date of this Act.

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