HB 379

Guillen Bill Strips The Intent To Harm From Caller ID Offense

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Rep. Ryan GuillenRHouse 31

Why it's charged

Dragnet

THE CAPTION

…“the prosecution and punishment of the offense of false”…

Caption, introduced version (I)

THE TEXT

…“makes a call or engages in any other conduct using any type of technology that results in the”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

With the intent element struck, the offense now reaches anyone whose call or message displays a misleading identity or number, even with no intent to defraud or harm. The caption only says it changes prosecution and punishment of false caller ID display. People who mask a number for privacy with no harmful purpose fall under the offense unless the narrow affirmative defense fits.

Dragnet

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 the prosecution and punishment of the offense of false caller identification information display.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Mask your number for privacy? Misdemeanor, unless the narrow affirmative defense fits.

The bill removes the intent-to-defraud-or-harm requirement from the Texas offense of displaying false caller ID information, so any call or message that shows a misleading identity or number becomes a Class B misdemeanor. Faking caller ID with intent to defraud or cause harm stays a Class A misdemeanor, and a new affirmative defense covers people who display a working number that belongs to them, their employer, a coworker or associate, a contracting party, or a group they volunteer for. Callers, texters and app users who mask their number without any harmful intent could now face an offense starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 12, 2024 and referred to the House Criminal Jurisprudence committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB379 · 2024-11-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Ryan GuillenRHouse 31

ITEM

relating to the prosecution and punishment of the offense of false caller identification information display.

WHAT IT DOES

Mask your number for privacy? Misdemeanor, unless the narrow affirmative defense fits.

CHARGES

[x] DRAGNETanalysis confidence 45%

THE CAPTION

…“the prosecution and punishment of the offense of false”…

Caption, introduced version (I)

THE TEXT

…“makes a call or engages in any other conduct using any type of technology that results in the”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Nov 12, 2024Filed
Feb 28, 2025Read first time
Feb 28, 2025Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence
Mar 25, 2025Referred directly to subcommittee by chair

FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

…“misrepresents the actor's identity or telephone number”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill makes it an offense to communicate under a masked or misleading identity or number, even without intent to defraud or harm, unless a listed defense applies.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Ryan Guillen

Donors

Frontera Texas PAC$160K Texas Sands PAC$121K Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$23K

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 1, 2024 to Oct 24, 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.

Frontera Texas PAC$160,007.97

Frontera Texas PAC

$160,007.97

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $160,007.97
Total: $160,007.97

Other filed descriptions $73,500.00mail $40,000.00mailing $19,429.94texting $18,144.37digital $8,211.55printing $722.11

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 5, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 30, 2025 to Oct 24, 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: 101033369, 101062168, 101070155, 101073001.

Texas Sands PAC$120,875.00

Texas Sands PAC

$120,875.00

Cash: $113,500.00
Paid by others: $7,375.00
Total: $120,875.00

polling $7,375.00

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 14, 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: 100989191, 101033369, 101062168, 101073001.

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$22,795.90

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$22,795.90

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $22,795.90
Total: $22,795.90

polling $15,000.00Other filed descriptions $7,352.14texting $443.76

Also funds 20 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 15, 2025 to Sep 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: 101033369, 101070155.

Money

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

Frontera Texas PAC

$160,007.97

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $160,007.97
Total: $160,007.97

Other filed descriptions $73,500.00mail $40,000.00mailing $19,429.94texting $18,144.37digital $8,211.55printing $722.11

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 5, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 30, 2025 to Oct 24, 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: 101033369, 101062168, 101070155, 101073001.

Texas Sands PAC

$120,875.00

Cash: $113,500.00
Paid by others: $7,375.00
Total: $120,875.00

polling $7,375.00

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 14, 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: 100989191, 101033369, 101062168, 101073001.

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$22,795.90

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $22,795.90
Total: $22,795.90

polling $15,000.00Other filed descriptions $7,352.14texting $443.76

Also funds 20 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 15, 2025 to Sep 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: 101033369, 101070155.

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 Nov 12, 2024

03/25/2025 H Referred directly to subcommittee by chair

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 · Criminal Jurisprudence · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Crimes--Miscellaneous

Utilities--Telecommunications

TELEPHONES & TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES

Text

The text as introduced · 357 words

By: Guillen
H.B. No. 379

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the prosecution and punishment of the offense of false

caller identification information display.

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

SECTION 1. Sections 33A.051, Penal Code, is amended by

amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read

as follows:

(a) A person commits an offense if the person[ , with the

intent to defraud or cause harm, ] makes a call or engages in any

other conduct using any type of technology that results in the

display on another person's telecommunications device of data that

misrepresents the actor's identity or telephone number.

(b) An offense under this section is a Class B [ A ]

misdemeanor , except that the offense is a Class A misdemeanor if the

actor committed the offense with the intent to defraud or cause

harm .

(c) it is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this

section that the identity or telephone number displayed:

(1) is a working number at which calls or any other

conduct using any type of technology are answered; and

(2) legally belongs to:

(A) the actor;

(B) the actor's legal employer;

(C) the actor's coworker or associate;

(D) the person or entity legally contracting the

actor to call or engage in any other conduct using any type of

technology for a lawful purpose; or

(E) the person or entity the actor is

volunteering for to call or engage in any other conduct using any

type of technology for a lawful purpose.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies 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 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 this Act if any element of the offense occurred

before that date.

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