HB 3081
bill doubling the top deceptive trade practices penalty
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 certain civil penalties under the Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
$10,000 becomes $20,000 per violation.
The bill doubles the top civil penalty the attorney general's consumer protection division can seek under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, from $10,000 to $20,000 per violation. It also expands the extra penalty of up to $250,000, which already applies when a deceptive practice targets consumers 65 or older, to cover consumers who are not fluent in the language used or who have an intellectual disability. Businesses found to deceive consumers in state-brought cases filed on or after September 1, 2025 face bigger fines, especially when they target these vulnerable groups.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 20, 2025 and referred to the House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB3081 · 2025-02-20
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to certain civil penalties under the Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act.
WHAT IT DOES
$10,000 becomes $20,000 per violation.
The bill doubles the top civil penalty the attorney general's consumer protection division can seek under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, from $10,000 to $20,000 per violation. It also expands the extra penalty of up to $250,000, which already applies when a deceptive practice targets consumers 65 or older, to cover consumers who are not fluent in the language used or who have an intellectual disability. Businesses found to deceive consumers in state-brought cases filed on or after September 1, 2025 face bigger fines, especially when they target these vulnerable groups.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Trade, Workforce & Economic Development
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
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 28, 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$20,000.00
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC
$20,000.00
- Cash
- $20,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $20,000.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jul 18, 2025 to Oct 7, 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: 101012140, 101061664, 101070603.
Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC$15,000.00
Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC
$15,000.00
- Cash
- $15,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $15,000.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 24, 2025 to Jun 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: 101005987, 101061664.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC
$20,000.00
- Cash
- $20,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $20,000.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jul 18, 2025 to Oct 7, 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: 101012140, 101061664, 101070603.
Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC
$15,000.00
- Cash
- $15,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $15,000.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 24, 2025 to Jun 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: 101005987, 101061664.
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 20, 2025
03/20/2025 H Referred to Trade, Workforce & Economic Development: Mar 20 2025 11:50AM
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 · Trade, Workforce & Economic Development · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Business & Commerce--General
Business & Commerce--Trade Practices
Civil Remedies & Liabilities
Consumer Protection
Property Interests--Mortgages & Liens
Text
The text as introduced · 281 words
89R9727 SCR-D By: Holt H.B. No. 3081 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to certain civil penalties under the Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 17.47(c), Business & Commerce Code, is amended to read as follows: (c) In addition to the request for a temporary restraining order, or permanent injunction in a proceeding brought under Subsection (a) of this section, the consumer protection division may request, and the trier of fact may award, a civil penalty to be paid to the state in an amount of: (1) not more than $20,000 [ $10,000 ] per violation; and (2) an additional amount of not more than $250,000 if the act or practice that is the subject of the proceeding was calculated to acquire or deprive money or other property from a consumer who was : (A) 65 years of age or older when the act or practice occurred ; (B) not fluent in the language in which the act or practice occurred; or (C) a person with an intellectual disability [ , an additional amount of not more than $250,000 ]. SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act to Section 17.47, Business & Commerce Code, applies only to an action brought under that section on or after the effective date of this Act. An action brought under Section 17.47, Business & Commerce Code, before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the action was brought, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.