HB 2915

bill raising the penalty for rigging a publicly exhibited contest

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

Initial review · graded Oct 19, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the criminal penalty for rigging a publicly exhibited contest; increasing a criminal penalty.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Class A misdemeanor becomes a state jail felony.

The bill raises the penalty for rigging a publicly exhibited contest under Section 32.44 of the Penal Code from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony. It touches anyone who would be prosecuted for that existing offense. Starting September 1, 2025, conduct that already counts as this offense carries a felony-level penalty instead of a misdemeanor, and earlier conduct stays under the old law.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2915 · 2025-02-18

SOLD BY

Rep. Matt ShaheenRHouse 66

ITEM

relating to the criminal penalty for rigging a publicly exhibited contest; increasing a criminal penalty.

WHAT IT DOES

Class A misdemeanor becomes a state jail felony.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 30, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Feb 18, 2025Filed
Mar 19, 2025Read first time
Mar 19, 2025Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence
Apr 1, 2025Referred directly to subcommittee by chair
May 1, 2025Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
May 1, 2025Considered by s/c in public hearing
May 1, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
May 1, 2025Left pending in subcommittee
May 2, 2025Recalled from subcommittee
May 2, 2025Considered in formal meeting
May 2, 2025Failed to receive affirmative vote in comm.

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Matt Shaheen

Donors

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$402K Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$100K Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$86K

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 30, 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 Conservative Majority PAC$401,656.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$401,656.00

Cash: $60,000.00
Paid by others: $341,656.00
Total: $401,656.00

canvassing $317,206.00polling $24,450.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 25, 2026 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.

Report IDs: 101069212, 101071870.

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$100,000.00

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$100,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $100,000.00

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 22, 2026 to Oct 10, 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: 101069212, 101071870.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$85,700.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$85,700.00

Cash: $50,000.00
Paid by others: $35,700.00
Total: $85,700.00

advertising $20,000.00polling $15,700.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 11, 2025 to Sep 30, 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: 101028938, 101069212, 101071870.

Money

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

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$401,656.00

Cash: $60,000.00
Paid by others: $341,656.00
Total: $401,656.00

canvassing $317,206.00polling $24,450.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 25, 2026 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.

Report IDs: 101069212, 101071870.

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$100,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $100,000.00

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 22, 2026 to Oct 10, 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: 101069212, 101071870.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$85,700.00

Cash: $50,000.00
Paid by others: $35,700.00
Total: $85,700.00

advertising $20,000.00polling $15,700.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 11, 2025 to Sep 30, 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: 101028938, 101069212, 101071870.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 30, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 19, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 18, 2025

05/02/2025 H Failed to receive affirmative vote in comm.

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Criminal Jurisprudence · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Amusements, Games, Sports

Crimes--Miscellaneous

Criminal Procedure--General

Text

The text as introduced · 161 words

89R10338 BEE-F

By: Shaheen
H.B. No. 2915

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the criminal penalty for rigging a publicly exhibited

contest; increasing a criminal penalty.

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

SECTION 1. Section 32.44(c), Penal Code, is amended to read

as follows:

(c) An offense under this section is a state jail felony

[ Class A misdemeanor ].

SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply 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 when 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.