SB 2683

Hughes Bill Lets The Governor Add Foreign Adversaries

Did not pass

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Sen. Bryan HughesRSenate 1

Why it's charged

Dragnet

THE CAPTION

…“financial support from a foreign adversary”

Caption, Senate committee report version (S)

THE TEXT

“designated by the governor after consultation with the director of the Department of Public Safety.”

Bill text, Senate committee report version (S)

The statement of intent says foreign adversaries are "as defined by the U.S. government." The text also lets the governor add any country on his own, so the ban can reach groups tied to countries the federal threat list never named.

Dragnet

Initial review · graded Oct 22, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to certain prohibitions in relation to a student organization at a public institution of higher education receiving financial support from a foreign adversary.

Caption from analyzed text · version S.

Summary

The intent statement says the U.S. government defines them. Student groups taking their money lose recognition.

The bill bars student groups at Texas public colleges from taking gifts from a foreign adversary or its agent, or signing deals with one that give the group financial support. Every student group must certify once a year that it complies, and member dues and fees are still allowed. A college may not give any benefit to a group that breaks the rule, and it must end the recognition of any group it finds in violation, starting with the 2025-2026 school year.

Labels

Labels: STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the Senate Education K-16 committee 9-2 on May 13, 2025. Never placed on a calendar. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2683 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Bryan HughesRSenate 1

+ 2 coauthors

ITEM

relating to certain prohibitions in relation to a student organization at a public institution of higher education receiving financial support from a foreign adversary.

WHAT IT DOES

The intent statement says the U.S. government defines them. Student groups taking their money lose recognition.

CHARGES

[x] DRAGNETanalysis confidence 40%

THE CAPTION

…“financial support from a foreign adversary”

Caption, Senate committee report version (S)

THE TEXT

“designated by the governor after consultation with the director of the Department of Public Safety.”

Bill text, Senate committee report version (S)

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · May 15, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Mar 13, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Mar 13, 2025Filed
Apr 3, 2025Read first time
Apr 3, 2025Referred to Education K-16
Apr 16, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 16, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 16, 2025Testimony taken in committee
Apr 16, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 28, 2025Co-author authorized
May 13, 2025Co-author authorized
May 13, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 13, 2025Vote taken in committee
May 15, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
May 15, 2025Committee report printed and distributed

FILED UNDER

FOREIGN HANDS ON TEXAS

THE TEXT

“accept a gift from a foreign adversary or an agent of a foreign adversary”

Bill text, Senate committee report version (S)

The bill closes campus student groups to gifts and funding deals from foreign adversaries and their agents, with an exception only for member dues or fees.

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.

Witnesses15

For: 0
Against: 15
On: 0

Names

Against

Self14 registrations
Self; The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Texas1 registration

Sources

15 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · May 15, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version S by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Mar 13, 2025

05/15/2025 S Committee report printed and distributed: May 15 2025 3:22PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report

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

Coauthors

Phil KingRSenate 10

Kevin SparksRSenate 31

Senate committee · Education K-16 · Committee vote 9 aye, 2 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

Education--Higher--Finance

Education--Higher--Institutions & Programs

Intergovernmental Relations

TERRORISM & INTERNAL SECURITY

Text

The text as introduced · 315 words

89R17213 CXP-D

By: Hughes
S.B. No. 2683

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to prohibiting a public institution of higher education

from providing benefits to a student organization that receives

financial support from an entity of concern.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 51.93151 to read as follows:

Sec. 51.93151. PROHIBITION ON PROVIDING FUNDING AND OTHER

BENEFITS TO CERTAIN STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS. (a) In this section:

(1) "Benefit" and "student organization" have the

meanings assigned by Section 51.9315.

(2) "Entity of concern" means:

(A) the People's Republic of China;

(B) the Republic of Cuba;

(C) the Islamic Republic of Iran;

(D) the Democratic People's Republic of Korea;

(E) the State of Qatar;

(F) the Russian Federation;

(G) the Syrian Arab Republic;

(H) the Venezuelan regime of Nicolás Maduro;

(I) a foreign organization designated as a

foreign terrorist organization by the United States secretary of

state as authorized by 8 U.S.C. Section 1189;

(J) an entity designated by the governor after

consultation with the Homeland Security Council established under

Subchapter B, Chapter 421, Government Code; and

(K) an agent of or other entity under significant

control of a country or entity described by Paragraphs (A) through

(J).

(3) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning

assigned by Section 61.003.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 51.9315, an institution of

higher education may not provide any benefit to a student

organization that receives financial support from an entity of

concern.

SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026

academic year.

SECTION 3. 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.