Monitoring the Session

HB 4343

bill bars political spending on legislators during and after sessions

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Mihaela PlesaDHouse 70

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 a restriction on political expenditures made during and following a regular legislative session; creating a criminal offense.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Statewide officeholders too. Same window as the contribution limits. Class A misdemeanor.

This bill bars political spending that supports or opposes a statewide officeholder or a state legislator during the same window around each regular legislative session that existing law already uses for its contribution limits. It covers candidates, officeholders, specific-purpose committees, and any group or club that takes political contributions or spends money to influence a Texas election. Breaking the rule is a Class A misdemeanor offense, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: CREATES AN OFFENSE. The caption of the graded version (introduced) reads: “relating to a restriction on political expenditures made during and following a regular legislative session; creating a criminal offense.”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-HB4343 · 2025-03-11

SOLD BY

Rep. Mihaela PlesaDHouse 70

ITEM

relating to a restriction on political expenditures made during and following a regular legislative session; creating a criminal offense.

WHAT IT DOES

Statewide officeholders too. Same window as the contribution limits. Class A misdemeanor.

This bill bars political spending that supports or opposes a statewide officeholder or a state legislator during the same window around each regular legislative session that existing law already uses for its contribution limits. It covers candidates, officeholders, specific-purpose committees, and any group or club that takes political contributions or spends money to influence a Texas election. Breaking the rule is a Class A misdemeanor offense, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to State Affairs
FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

…“a person to whom this section applies may not make expenditures that either support or oppose a statewide officeholder or a member of the legislature”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill limits political spending, a form of political speech, about legislators and statewide officials during the session window, backed by a Class A misdemeanor offense.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Mihaela Plesa

Donors

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$79KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$55KTexBlue Media PAC$33K

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.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$79,480.35

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$79,480.35

Cash
$37,500.00
Paid by others
$41,980.35
Total
$79,480.35
mail $33,992.76digital $4,945.63text $2,016.96advertising $525.00fundraiser $500.00

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.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 20, 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: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108, 101072533.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$55,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$55,000.00

Cash
$55,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$55,000.00

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.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Sep 21, 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: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108.

TexBlue Media PAC$32,511.00

TexBlue Media PAC

$32,511.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$32,511.00
Total
$32,511.00
advertising $32,511.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 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: 101072533.

Money

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

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$79,480.35

Cash
$37,500.00
Paid by others
$41,980.35
Total
$79,480.35
mail $33,992.76digital $4,945.63text $2,016.96advertising $525.00fundraiser $500.00

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.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 20, 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: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108, 101072533.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$55,000.00

Cash
$55,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$55,000.00

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.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Sep 21, 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: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108.

×

TexBlue Media PAC

$32,511.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$32,511.00
Total
$32,511.00
advertising $32,511.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 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: 101072533.

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

Crimes--Miscellaneous

Elections--Campaign Financing

Ethics

Legislature

State Officers

POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Text

The text as introduced · 204 words

By: Plesa
H.B. No. 4343

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a restriction on political expenditures made during and

following a regular legislative session; creating a criminal

offense.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 253, Election Code, is

amended by adding Section 253.0342 to read as follows:

Sec. 253.0342. RESTRICTION ON EXPENDITURES DURING AND

FOLLOWING REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION. (a) This section applies

only to:

(1) a candidate;

(2) an officeholder;

(3) a specific-purpose committee for supporting or

opposing a candidate;

(4) a group of persons organized for the principal

purpose of accepting political contributions or making political

expenditures; and

(5) a committee, club, association, or other group of

persons that accepts political contributions or makes political

expenditures for the purpose of influencing an election in this

state.

(b) During the period described by Section 253.034(a), a

person to whom this section applies may not make expenditures that

either support or oppose a statewide officeholder or a member of the

legislature.

(c) A person commits an offense if the person violates this

section. An offense under this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor.

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