HB 3047
Alders Bill Frees Legislative Video From Copyright Limits
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
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 public use of audio and visual materials produced by the legislative branch.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Press, campaigns and ordinary Texans can reuse the recordings. A section carrying an offense gets repealed.
The bill declares that all audio, photo and video materials made by the Texas Legislature, its two houses, committees or agencies are public and not covered by copyright restrictions. It also repeals two existing Government Code sections, one of which carried an offense, while keeping the old law in force for any offense committed before the repeal takes effect. Starting September 1, 2025, anyone, including the press, campaigns and ordinary Texans, can reuse legislative recordings without those prior limits.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 19, 2025 and referred to the House Administration committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB3047 · 2025-02-19
SOLD BY
+ 4 coauthors
ITEM
relating to public use of audio and visual materials produced by the legislative branch.
WHAT IT DOES
Press, campaigns and ordinary Texans can reuse the recordings. A section carrying an offense gets repealed.
The bill declares that all audio, photo and video materials made by the Texas Legislature, its two houses, committees or agencies are public and not covered by copyright restrictions. It also repeals two existing Government Code sections, one of which carried an offense, while keeping the old law in force for any offense committed before the repeal takes effect. Starting September 1, 2025, anyone, including the press, campaigns and ordinary Texans, can reuse legislative recordings without those prior limits.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to House Administration
FILED UNDER
The bill removes legal limits on how Texans can reuse and repost the Legislature's own audio and video, and it repeals a section that carried an offense.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
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.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$35,275.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$35,275.00
- Cash
- $35,000.00
- Paid by others
- $275.00
- Total
- $35,275.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 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: 100989514, 101008114, 101031097, 101071763.
Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$15,225.00
Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee
$15,225.00
- Cash
- $15,000.00
- Paid by others
- $225.00
- Total
- $15,225.00
Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Oct 1, 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: 100989514, 101008114, 101031097, 101068278, 101071763.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$35,275.00
- Cash
- $35,000.00
- Paid by others
- $275.00
- Total
- $35,275.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 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: 100989514, 101008114, 101031097, 101071763.
Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee
$15,225.00
- Cash
- $15,000.00
- Paid by others
- $225.00
- Total
- $15,225.00
Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Oct 1, 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: 100989514, 101008114, 101031097, 101068278, 101071763.
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 19, 2025
03/20/2025 H Referred to House Administration: Mar 20 2025 11:50AM
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 · House Administration · Final status: Died in committee
Companion
SB 2100 by Hughes (identical)
Subjects
Business & Commerce--Copyright, Patents, & Trademarks
Electronic Information Systems
Legislature
VIDEOTAPE & FILM
Text
The text as introduced · 222 words
89R8855 MLH-D By: Alders H.B. No. 3047 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to public use of audio and visual materials produced by the legislative branch. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 306, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 306.0065 to read as follows: Sec. 306.0065. LEGISLATIVELY PRODUCED AUDIO AND VISUAL MATERIALS. (a) In this section, "visual materials" means photographic, video, or other material containing a still or moving recorded image or images. (b) All audio and visual materials produced by the legislature or by a house, committee, or agency of the legislature are public and not subject to copyright restrictions. SECTION 2. Sections 306.0055 and 306.006, Government Code, are repealed. SECTION 3. The repeal by this Act of Section 306.006, Government Code, does not apply to an offense committed under that section before the effective date of the repeal. An offense committed before the effective date of the repeal is governed by the law as it existed 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 the repeal if any element of the offense occurred before that date. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.