SB 2399
bill limiting obscene device sales to sexually oriented businesses
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
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 restrictions on the sale of obscene devices; providing a civil penalty.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Every other store in Texas has to stop stocking them.
The bill bans any business in Texas from selling, offering, or stocking an obscene device, as the Penal Code defines it, unless the business is a sexually oriented business operating under the state's sexually oriented business chapter. It touches ordinary retailers such as pharmacies, big-box stores, and online sellers based in Texas, and it leaves licensed sexually oriented businesses free to keep selling. A county or district attorney can sue to stop a violating business and can seek a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation plus the costs of investigating and prosecuting.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB2399 · 2025-03-12
SOLD BY
+ 1 coauthor
ITEM
relating to restrictions on the sale of obscene devices; providing a civil penalty.
WHAT IT DOES
Every other store in Texas has to stop stocking them.
The bill bans any business in Texas from selling, offering, or stocking an obscene device, as the Penal Code defines it, unless the business is a sexually oriented business operating under the state's sexually oriented business chapter. It touches ordinary retailers such as pharmacies, big-box stores, and online sellers based in Texas, and it leaves licensed sexually oriented businesses free to keep selling. A county or district attorney can sue to stop a violating business and can seek a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation plus the costs of investigating and prosecuting.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Criminal Justice
- Co-author authorized
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
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 Jun 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.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$40,000.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$40,000.00
- Cash
- $40,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $40,000.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Jun 30, 2025. 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: 100982305, 101012314.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$40,000.00
- Cash
- $40,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $40,000.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Jun 30, 2025. 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: 100982305, 101012314.
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 Senate · Filed Mar 12, 2025
03/25/2025 S Referred to Criminal Justice
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 · Criminal Justice · Final status: Died in committee
Companion
HB 549 by Vasut (very similar)
Subjects
Business & Commerce--General
City Government--General
Civil Remedies & Liabilities
County Government--General
Minors--Health & Safety
Occupational Regulation--Other Trades & Professions
SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESSES
Text
The text as introduced · 318 words
89R5151 BCH-D By: Paxton, Hinojosa of Nueces S.B. No. 2399 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to restrictions on the sale of obscene devices; providing a civil penalty. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Title 6, Business & Commerce Code, is amended by adding Chapter 205 to read as follows: CHAPTER 205. RESTRICTION ON THE SALE OF OBSCENE DEVICES Sec. 205.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) "Obscene device" has the meaning assigned by Section 43.21, Penal Code. (2) "Sexually oriented business" has the meaning assigned by Section 243.002, Local Government Code. Sec. 205.002. SALE OF OBSCENE DEVICES RESTRICTED. A business in this state may not sell, offer for sale, or hold for sale an obscene device, unless the business is a sexually oriented business operating in accordance with Chapter 102. Sec. 205.003. ENFORCEMENT; INJUNCTION AND CIVIL PENALTY. (a) A county or district attorney who believes that a business located in that county or district attorney's jurisdiction has violated or is violating Section 205.002 may bring an action in a district court of the county to enjoin the business from violating that section. (b) In addition to seeking an injunction under Subsection (a), the county or district attorney may request and the court may order any other relief that may be in the public interest, including: (1) the imposition of a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $5,000 for each violation of Section 205.002; and (2) an order requiring reimbursement to the county or district for the reasonable value of investigating and prosecuting a violation of Section 205.002. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.