Monitoring the Session

HB 4049

Lopez Bill Fines Companies For Tracking Their Own Emissions

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Janie LopezRHouse 37

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 tracking of greenhouse gas emissions; creating a civil penalty.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Federal mandates excepted. Penalty: at least $10K, or twice what the tracking cost!

The bill bars companies that make physical goods and do business in Texas from spending money to track, measure or estimate their Texas greenhouse gas emissions to comply with any federal, state or foreign law, unless federal law requires it. It also bars any company, nonprofit, or government agency of Texas, another state or a foreign country from punishing a company for following that ban. Violators owe the state a civil penalty of at least $10,000 or twice what was spent on the tracking, collected by the attorney general at the request of the environmental commission, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 7, 2025 and referred to the House State Affairs committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4049 · 2025-03-07

SOLD BY

Rep. Janie LopezRHouse 37

ITEM

relating to the tracking of greenhouse gas emissions; creating a civil penalty.

WHAT IT DOES

Federal mandates excepted. Penalty: at least $10K, or twice what the tracking cost!

The bill bars companies that make physical goods and do business in Texas from spending money to track, measure or estimate their Texas greenhouse gas emissions to comply with any federal, state or foreign law, unless federal law requires it. It also bars any company, nonprofit, or government agency of Texas, another state or a foreign country from punishing a company for following that ban. Violators owe the state a civil penalty of at least $10,000 or twice what was spent on the tracking, collected by the attorney general at the request of the environmental commission, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 8, 2025

The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined because the number of entities that would be subject to, or in violation of, prohibited greenhouse gas emissions tracking are unknown at this time. The number of entities subject to the new civil penalty outlined in the bill, and the number of potential suits that would be instituted to recover penalties, are also unknown at this time. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to State Affairs
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. No action taken in committee
FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

…“may not penalize or threaten to penalize a company doing business in this state because of the company's compliance with Subsection (a)”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill shields companies from penalties by other businesses, nonprofits and governments, and puts a state civil penalty on anyone who punishes a company for not tracking emissions.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Janie Lopez

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$504KAssociated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$489KTexas Conservative Majority PAC$487K

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 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$504,349.82

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$504,349.82

Cash
$45,000.00
Paid by others
$459,349.82
Total
$504,349.82
advertising $380,541.56mail $48,297.91polling $30,510.35

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 · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 6, 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: 100977055, 101010818, 101036578, 101036586, 101058662, 101067886, 101070167.

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$488,665.88

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$488,665.88

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$488,665.88
Total
$488,665.88
television $202,708.00mailers $127,420.46mailer $47,655.97digital $47,523.75canvassing $20,149.00polling $16,200.00Other filed descriptions $10,991.57text $10,252.13radio $5,765.00

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 · Nov 4, 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: 100977055, 101010818, 101035068, 101036578, 101036586, 101067886, 101070167.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$486,622.50

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$486,622.50

Cash
$50,000.00
Paid by others
$436,622.50
Total
$486,622.50
advertising $181,100.00canvassing $140,822.50media $100,000.00polling $5,800.00Other filed descriptions $5,000.00texting $3,900.00

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 13, 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: 101036586, 101067886, 101070167.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$504,349.82

Cash
$45,000.00
Paid by others
$459,349.82
Total
$504,349.82
advertising $380,541.56mail $48,297.91polling $30,510.35

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 · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 6, 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: 100977055, 101010818, 101036578, 101036586, 101058662, 101067886, 101070167.

×

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$488,665.88

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$488,665.88
Total
$488,665.88
television $202,708.00mailers $127,420.46mailer $47,655.97digital $47,523.75canvassing $20,149.00polling $16,200.00Other filed descriptions $10,991.57text $10,252.13radio $5,765.00

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 · Nov 4, 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: 100977055, 101010818, 101035068, 101036578, 101036586, 101067886, 101070167.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$486,622.50

Cash
$50,000.00
Paid by others
$436,622.50
Total
$486,622.50
advertising $181,100.00canvassing $140,822.50media $100,000.00polling $5,800.00Other filed descriptions $5,000.00texting $3,900.00

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 13, 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: 101036586, 101067886, 101070167.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 8, 2025

The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined because the number of entities that would be subject to, or in violation of, prohibited greenhouse gas emissions tracking are unknown at this time. The number of entities subject to the new civil penalty outlined in the bill, and the number of potential suits that would be instituted to recover penalties, are also unknown at this time. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

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 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 7, 2025

04/09/2025 H No action taken in committee

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 · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Business & Commerce--Trade Practices

Environment--Air

Environment--General

ATTORNEY GENERAL

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, TEXAS COMMISSION ON

Text

The text as introduced · 408 words

89R3039 DRS-D

By: Lopez of Cameron
H.B. No. 4049

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the tracking of greenhouse gas emissions; creating a

civil penalty.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 382, Health and Safety Code, is amended

by adding Subchapter J-1 to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER J-1. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS TRACKING

Sec. 382.471. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Company" means a for-profit organization,

association, corporation, partnership, joint venture, statutory

trust, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or

limited liability company, including a wholly owned subsidiary,

majority-owned subsidiary, parent, or affiliate of such an entity,

that produces tangible goods for sale and is not primarily in the

business of reporting news to the public.

(2) "Greenhouse gas emissions" has the meaning

assigned by Section 382.05102(a).

Sec. 382.472. EMISSIONS TRACKING PROHIBITED. (a) Except

as required by federal law, a company doing business in this state

may not directly or indirectly expend resources to track,

calculate, measure, assess, or estimate the greenhouse gas

emissions in this state directly or indirectly attributable to the

company for the purpose of complying with a federal or state law or

regulation or a law or regulation of a foreign country.

(b) A company, a nonprofit entity, or an agency or political

subdivision of this state, another state, or a foreign country may

not penalize or threaten to penalize a company doing business in

this state because of the company's compliance with Subsection (a).

Sec. 382.473. CIVIL PENALTY. (a) Notwithstanding Section

7.102, Water Code, a company that violates Section 382.472(a) or an

entity that penalizes or threatens to penalize a company in

violation of Section 382.472(b) is liable to this state for a civil

penalty in an amount that is equal to the greater of:

(1) $10,000; or

(2) twice the amount directly or indirectly expended

by the company to track, calculate, measure, assess, or estimate

the greenhouse gas emissions in this state directly or indirectly

attributable to the company.

(b) On the request of the executive director or the

commission, the attorney general shall institute a suit under

Subchapter D, Chapter 7, Water Code, to recover the penalty.

SECTION 2. Subchapter J-1, Chapter 382, Health and Safety

Code, as added by this Act, applies only to an expenditure of

resources by a company that is initiated on or after the effective

date of this Act.

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