HB 4756

Bell Bill Bans Every Paid Prescription Drug Ad In Texas

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

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 advertisements for prescription drugs.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Running one becomes a deceptive trade practice. Professional journals and no-stake health education are exempt.

The bill bans anyone from running a paid advertisement for a prescription drug in Texas. It reaches drug makers, advertisers and media outlets that carry paid drug ads, with exceptions for ads placed only in professional scientific journals for medical, dental or nursing professionals and for public health education by someone with no commercial stake in the drug. Starting September 1, 2025, running such an ad becomes a deceptive trade practice that can be pursued under the state's existing consumer protection law.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 13, 2025 and referred to the House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4756 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Rep. Cecil Bell Jr.RHouse 3

ITEM

relating to certain advertisements for prescription drugs.

WHAT IT DOES

Running one becomes a deceptive trade practice. Professional journals and no-stake health education are exempt.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Mar 13, 2025Filed
Apr 3, 2025Read first time
Apr 3, 2025Referred to Trade, Workforce & Economic Development

FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

“A person may not disseminate a paid advertisement for a prescription drug.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill bans a whole category of paid commercial speech and makes each violation actionable as a deceptive trade practice.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Cecil Bell Jr.

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$303K DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN$84K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$84K

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 · Aug 30, 2024 to Apr 2, 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$303,416.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$303,416.00

Cash: $77,500.00
Paid by others: $225,916.00
Total: $303,416.00

mail $151,916.00advertising $57,250.00polling $16,750.00

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 · Nov 14, 2024 to Mar 3, 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: 101012348, 101016762, 101032999, 101036177, 101041213, 101061435.

DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN$84,000.00

DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN

$84,000.00

Cash: $75,000.00
Paid by others: $9,000.00
Total: $84,000.00

polling $9,000.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 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: 101032999, 101036177, 101041213.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$83,505.68

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$83,505.68

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $83,505.68
Total: $83,505.68

canvassing $50,000.00Other filed descriptions $24,666.67polling $7,750.00texting $1,089.01

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 9, 2026 to Mar 3, 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: 101041213, 101061435.

Money

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

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$303,416.00

Cash: $77,500.00
Paid by others: $225,916.00
Total: $303,416.00

mail $151,916.00advertising $57,250.00polling $16,750.00

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 · Nov 14, 2024 to Mar 3, 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: 101012348, 101016762, 101032999, 101036177, 101041213, 101061435.

DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN

$84,000.00

Cash: $75,000.00
Paid by others: $9,000.00
Total: $84,000.00

polling $9,000.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 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: 101032999, 101036177, 101041213.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$83,505.68

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $83,505.68
Total: $83,505.68

canvassing $50,000.00Other filed descriptions $24,666.67polling $7,750.00texting $1,089.01

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 9, 2026 to Mar 3, 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: 101041213, 101061435.

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 13, 2025

04/03/2025 H Referred to Trade, Workforce & Economic Development: Apr 3 2025 12:38PM

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 · Trade, Workforce & Economic Development · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Business & Commerce--General

Business & Commerce--Trade Practices

Health--General

ADVERTISING

MEDICINE & PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Text

The text as introduced · 195 words

89R16099 SCR-D

By: Bell of Montgomery
H.B. No. 4756

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certain advertisements for prescription drugs.

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. CERTAIN ADVERTISEMENTS FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Sec. 722.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "paid

advertisement" means a communication that promotes a good or

service and is disseminated in exchange for consideration.

Sec. 722.002. PROHIBITED ADVERTISEMENT OF CERTAIN

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. (a) A person may not disseminate a paid

advertisement for a prescription drug.

(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a paid advertisement

disseminated:

(1) only to medical, dental, or nursing professionals

in a professional scientific periodical; or

(2) only for public health education by a person who is

not directly or indirectly commercially interested in the sale of

the drug.

Sec. 722.003. DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICE. A violation of

Section 722.002 is a deceptive trade practice in addition to the

practices described by Subchapter E, Chapter 17, and is actionable

under that subchapter.

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