HB 4297

Shaheen’s Ad Ban Covers Goods That Are Only ‘Generally’ Prohibited

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Rep. Matt ShaheenRHouse 66

Why it's charged

Dragnet

THE CAPTION

“relating to prohibiting the advertisement of illegal goods or”…

Caption, introduced version (I)

THE TEXT

“the goods or services advertised are generally”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption targets ads for illegal goods, but the second test reaches goods that are only generally prohibited. That can sweep in ads for goods that are lawful in the specific case being advertised, such as sales allowed under an exception, without regard to who is selling.

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 prohibiting the advertisement of illegal goods or services.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

No penalty, no enforcing agency, no lawsuit. Just the ban!

The bill bars any person from advertising the sale or provision of goods or services that Texas law prohibits, or that Texas law generally prohibits. It reaches anyone who advertises in Texas, including businesses, individuals and publishers of ads. The text sets no penalty, names no enforcing agency and creates no lawsuit, so it is a flat ban with no stated way to enforce it, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 131 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 131 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 11, 2025 and referred to the House State Affairs committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4297 · 2025-03-11

SOLD BY

Rep. Matt ShaheenRHouse 66

ITEM

relating to prohibiting the advertisement of illegal goods or services.

WHAT IT DOES

No penalty, no enforcing agency, no lawsuit. Just the ban!

CHARGES

[x] DRAGNETanalysis confidence 50%

THE CAPTION

“relating to prohibiting the advertisement of illegal goods or”…

Caption, introduced version (I)

THE TEXT

“the goods or services advertised are generally”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Mar 11, 2025Filed
Apr 1, 2025Read first time
Apr 1, 2025Referred to State Affairs

FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

“A person may not advertise the sale or provision of goods”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill restricts what Texans may say in advertising, tied to whether the goods or services are prohibited under state law.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Matt Shaheen

Donors

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$402K Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$100K Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$86K

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 30, 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.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$401,656.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$401,656.00

Cash: $60,000.00
Paid by others: $341,656.00
Total: $401,656.00

canvassing $317,206.00polling $24,450.00

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 · Aug 25, 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: 101069212, 101071870.

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$100,000.00

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$100,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $100,000.00

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 22, 2026 to Oct 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: 101069212, 101071870.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$85,700.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$85,700.00

Cash: $50,000.00
Paid by others: $35,700.00
Total: $85,700.00

advertising $20,000.00polling $15,700.00

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.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 11, 2025 to Sep 30, 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: 101028938, 101069212, 101071870.

Money

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

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$401,656.00

Cash: $60,000.00
Paid by others: $341,656.00
Total: $401,656.00

canvassing $317,206.00polling $24,450.00

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 · Aug 25, 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: 101069212, 101071870.

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$100,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $100,000.00

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 22, 2026 to Oct 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: 101069212, 101071870.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$85,700.00

Cash: $50,000.00
Paid by others: $35,700.00
Total: $85,700.00

advertising $20,000.00polling $15,700.00

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.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 11, 2025 to Sep 30, 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: 101028938, 101069212, 101071870.

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 Mar 11, 2025

04/01/2025 H Referred to State Affairs: Apr 1 2025 12:28PM

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--General

ADVERTISING

Text

The text as introduced · 131 words

89R11205 PRL-D

By: Shaheen
H.B. No. 4297

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to prohibiting the advertisement of illegal goods or

services.

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

SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 16, Business & Commerce Code,

is amended by adding Chapter 722 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 722. PROHIBITED ADVERTISING

Sec. 722.001. PROHIBITED ADVERTISING OF ILLEGAL GOODS OR

SERVICES. A person may not advertise the sale or provision of goods

or services if:

(1) the sale or provision of the goods or services by

the person or another person is prohibited by a law of this state;

or

(2) the goods or services advertised are generally

prohibited by a law of this state.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.