SB 1648

Hughes Marketplace Bill Shields Online Platforms From Every Local Rule

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Sen. Bryan HughesRSenate 1

Why it's charged

Carve-out

THE TEXT

“A county or municipality may not: (1) regulate the operation of an online global marketplace”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The operative section gives one kind of business, online platforms not regulated by the state, a blanket exemption from all county and city regulation. The caption reads as general marketplace regulation, but the body delivers a shield.

Carve-out

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 regulation of online global marketplaces.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

The regulation: cities and counties “may not” regulate. User data needs a subpoena or court order.

The bill bars Texas counties and cities from regulating any online marketplace that the state does not already regulate. It also stops counties and cities from making those platforms hand over users' personal information unless they have an administrative subpoena or a court order. App-based platforms that connect buyers and sellers, process payments, or run virtual currencies get a statewide shield from local rules starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 4643 by Rep. Longoria (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 4643 by Rep. Longoria (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 26, 2025 and referred to the Senate Business & Commerce committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1648 · 2025-02-26

SOLD BY

Sen. Bryan HughesRSenate 1

ITEM

relating to regulation of online global marketplaces.

WHAT IT DOES

The regulation: cities and counties “may not” regulate. User data needs a subpoena or court order.

CHARGES

[x] CARVE-OUTanalysis confidence 55%

THE TEXT

“A county or municipality may not: (1) regulate the operation of an online global marketplace”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Feb 26, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Feb 26, 2025Filed
Mar 11, 2025Read first time
Mar 11, 2025Referred to Business & Commerce

FILED UNDER

SURVEILLANCE STATE

THE TEXT

“require an online global marketplace to provide personally identifiable information of its Internet platform users without an administrative subpoena or court order”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill limits local governments from collecting platform users' personal data unless they have a subpoena or court order.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Bryan Hughes

Donors

GOPAC Election Fund$250K CRAFTPAC (Court Reform Action for Texas Families)$100KCourt Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$100K

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 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.

GOPAC Election Fund$250,000.00

GOPAC Election Fund

$250,000.00

Cash: $250,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $250,000.00

Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 15, 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: 101028838, 101071548.

CRAFTPAC (Court Reform Action for Texas Families)$100,000.00

CRAFTPAC (Court Reform Action for Texas Families)

$100,000.00

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

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Sep 4, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Sep 4, 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: 101067724.

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 · on Oct 13, 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: 101071548.

Money

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

GOPAC Election Fund

$250,000.00

Cash: $250,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $250,000.00

Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 15, 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: 101028838, 101071548.

CRAFTPAC (Court Reform Action for Texas Families)

$100,000.00

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

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Sep 4, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Sep 4, 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: 101067724.

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 · on Oct 13, 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: 101071548.

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.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 4643

by Rep. Longoria, different lead author · Died in committee · reworked

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 22, 2023: Referred to State Affairs

Relating to regulation of online global marketplaces.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Feb 26, 2025

03/11/2025 S Referred to Business & Commerce

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Senate committee · Business & Commerce · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 2767 by Landgraf (very similar)

Subjects

Business & Commerce--General

City Government--General

County Government--General

Electronic Information Systems

INTERNET

Text

The text as introduced · 279 words

89R10184 PRL-F

By: Hughes
S.B. No. 1648

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to regulation of online global marketplaces.

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

SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 5, Business & Commerce Code, is

amended by adding Chapter 121 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 121. ONLINE GLOBAL MARKETPLACES

Sec. 121.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "online global

marketplace" means a person that:

(1) provides for consideration, including

consideration deducted as a fee from the transaction, an online

application, software, an Internet website, a system, or another

medium through which a good or service in this state is advertised

or offered to the public as available;

(2) is not regulated by this state; and

(3) directly or indirectly provides or maintains an

Internet platform for goods or services by:

(A) providing a payment system that facilitates a

transaction between two platform users;

(B) transmitting or otherwise communicating the

offer or acceptance of a transaction between two platform users;

(C) owning or operating the electronic or

physical infrastructure or technology that brings two or more

platform users together;

(D) providing a virtual currency, as defined by

Section 12.001, that platform users are allowed or required to use

for transactions; or

(E) providing software development or research

and development activities related to any of the activities

described by this subdivision.

Sec. 121.002. CERTAIN LOCAL REGULATIONS PROHIBITED. A

county or municipality may not:

(1) regulate the operation of an online global

marketplace; or

(2) require an online global marketplace to provide

personally identifiable information of its Internet platform users

without an administrative subpoena or court order.

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