HB 2966: Meyer Bill Awards Fees Even When The Lawyer Worked Free

Caption

relating to the award of attorney's fees in an action involving the exercise of certain constitutional rights.

Summary

Get a speech suit tossed, reasonable fees are mandatory. Reduced-rate lawyers count too.

The bill changes the Texas law that lets people quickly throw out lawsuits aimed at punishing them for speaking, petitioning or associating. It removes the words that limited the mandatory fee award to fees "incurred" in the defense. Defendants who win dismissal must now be awarded reasonable attorney's fees even if their lawyer worked for free or at a reduced rate, for suits filed on or after September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R SB 1843 by Sen. Johnson (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 1843 by Sen. Johnson (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 14, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the State Affairs committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2966 · 2025-02-18

SOLD BY

Rep. Morgan MeyerRHouse 108

ITEM

relating to the award of attorney's fees in an action involving the exercise of certain constitutional rights.

WHAT IT DOES

Get a speech suit tossed, reasonable fees are mandatory. Reduced-rate lawyers count too.

The bill changes the Texas law that lets people quickly throw out lawsuits aimed at punishing them for speaking, petitioning or associating. It removes the words that limited the mandatory fee award to fees "incurred" in the defense. Defendants who win dismissal must now be awarded reasonable attorney's fees even if their lawyer worked for free or at a reduced rate, for suits filed on or after September 1, 2025.

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 14, 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 20, 2025Read first time
Mar 20, 2025Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Apr 16, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 16, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 16, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 16, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 28, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 28, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 6, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 6, 2025Committee report distributed
May 6, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 8, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 10, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 13, 2025Read 2nd time
May 13, 2025Passed to engrossment
May 13, 2025Record vote RV#2347
May 13, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 14, 2025Read 3rd time
May 14, 2025Passed
May 14, 2025Record vote RV#2439
May 14, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 14, 2025Reported engrossed
May 14, 2025Received from the House
May 15, 2025Read first time
May 15, 2025Referred to State Affairs

FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

“shall award to the moving party court costs and”…

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

The bill strengthens the fee award for people who win early dismissal of lawsuits targeting protected speech, so the plaintiff pays reasonable fees even when the defense was pro bono or discounted.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 142 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 14, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Morgan Meyer

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$530K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$422K Texas Sands PAC$262K

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 28, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$530,160.35

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$530,160.35

Cash: $275,000.00
Paid by others: $255,160.35
Total: $530,160.35

advertising $220,000.00polling $35,160.35

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 · Jun 23, 2025 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: 101012321, 101035164, 101040580, 101060247, 101069424, 101072232.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$422,350.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$422,350.00

Cash: $150,000.00
Paid by others: $272,350.00
Total: $422,350.00

canvassing $250,000.00polling $22,350.00

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 · Feb 18, 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: 101040580, 101069424, 101072232.

Texas Sands PAC$262,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$262,000.00

Cash: $262,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $262,000.00

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 · Nov 13, 2024 to Sep 25, 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: 100988696, 101040580, 101072232.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$530,160.35

Cash: $275,000.00
Paid by others: $255,160.35
Total: $530,160.35

advertising $220,000.00polling $35,160.35

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 · Jun 23, 2025 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: 101012321, 101035164, 101040580, 101060247, 101069424, 101072232.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$422,350.00

Cash: $150,000.00
Paid by others: $272,350.00
Total: $422,350.00

canvassing $250,000.00polling $22,350.00

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 · Feb 18, 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: 101040580, 101069424, 101072232.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$262,000.00

Cash: $262,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $262,000.00

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 · Nov 13, 2024 to Sep 25, 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: 100988696, 101040580, 101072232.

Votes2

House May 14, 2025

Yea: 142
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 3
Excused: 3

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 2439

HB 2966 was passed by (Record 2439): 142 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 142 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House May 13, 2025

Yea: 135
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 6
Excused: 7

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 2347

HB 2966 was passed to engrossment by (Record 2347): 135 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 135 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 6 (derived from named list)
Excused: 7 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses5

For: 5
Against: 0
On: 0

Names

For

Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas1 registration
Self2 registrations
Self; Texas Press Association1 registration
Texas Association of Broadcasters1 registration

Sources

5 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 14, 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 H by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R SB 1843

by Sen. Johnson, different lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 20, 2023: Referred to State Affairs

Relating to the award of attorney's fees in an action involving the exercise of certain constitutional rights.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 18, 2025

05/15/2025 S Referred to State Affairs

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

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

House committee · Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Senate committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 1516 by Johnson (identical)

Subjects

Civil Remedies & Liabilities

Lawyers

ATTORNEY'S FEES

Text

The text as introduced · 206 words

89R938 MZM-D

By: Meyer
H.B. No. 2966

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the award of attorney's fees in an action involving the

exercise of certain constitutional rights.

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

SECTION 1. Section 27.009(a), Civil Practice and Remedies

Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), if the court

orders dismissal of a legal action under this chapter, the court:

(1) shall award to the moving party court costs and

reasonable attorney's fees for [ incurred in ] defending against the

legal action; and

(2) may award to the moving party sanctions against

the party who brought the legal action as the court determines

sufficient to deter the party who brought the legal action from

bringing similar actions described in this chapter.

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

to an action filed on or after the effective date of this Act. An

action filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by

the law as it existed immediately before that date, and that law is

continued in effect for that purpose.

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

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

Texas Sands PAC

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

Texas Sands PAC

House May 14, 2025

House May 13, 2025

For

88R SB 1843

Companion