SB 2971
Hall Brokerage Bill Shields Agents’ Speech From Trade Group Ethics Complaints
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Why it's charged
Caption mismatch
THE TEXT
…“the initiation of an ethics complaint against a person in relation to speech involving a matter of public concern or religion is included in the meaning of discrimination in the terms or conditions of membership”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The caption speaks only of housing discrimination in brokerage services, but the only new language is a shield for members' speech against trade-group ethics complaints. The caption never mentions speech or ethics complaints.
Caption mismatchInitial 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 the prohibition of certain housing discrimination related to brokerage services.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Caption: housing discrimination. Bill: an ethics complaint over a member’s speech counts as discrimination.
The bill adds a line to the state fair housing law saying that when a real estate group, such as a multiple-listing service or brokers' organization, starts an ethics complaint against someone over their speech on a matter of public concern or religion, that counts as discrimination in the terms of membership. It touches real estate agents and brokers and the trade groups and listing services they belong to. Those groups could face fair housing complaints at the Texas Workforce Commission civil rights division for bringing speech-based ethics complaints, starting with complaints filed on or after September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 14, 2025 and referred to the Senate Business & Commerce committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB2971 · 2025-03-14
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the prohibition of certain housing discrimination related to brokerage services.
WHAT IT DOES
Caption: housing discrimination. Bill: an ethics complaint over a member’s speech counts as discrimination.
The bill adds a line to the state fair housing law saying that when a real estate group, such as a multiple-listing service or brokers' organization, starts an ethics complaint against someone over their speech on a matter of public concern or religion, that counts as discrimination in the terms of membership. It touches real estate agents and brokers and the trade groups and listing services they belong to. Those groups could face fair housing complaints at the Texas Workforce Commission civil rights division for bringing speech-based ethics complaints, starting with complaints filed on or after September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[x] CAPTION MISMATCHanalysis confidence 50%
THE TEXT
…“the initiation of an ethics complaint against a person in relation to speech involving a matter of public concern or religion is included in the meaning of discrimination in the terms or conditions of membership”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The caption speaks only of housing discrimination in brokerage services, but the only new language is a shield for members' speech against trade-group ethics complaints. The caption never mentions speech or ethics complaints.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Business & Commerce
FILED UNDER
THE TEXT
…“the initiation of an ethics complaint against a person in relation to speech involving a matter of public concern or religion is included in the meaning of discrimination in the terms or conditions of membership”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill turns a real estate group's ethics complaint over a member's public-concern or religious speech into a fair housing violation, which shields that speech from internal discipline.
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 · 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.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$135,000.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$135,000.00
- Cash
- $129,000.00
- Paid by others
- $6,000.00
- Total
- $135,000.00
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 · Sep 12, 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.
Report IDs: 100987789, 101010195, 101040645, 101069307, 101073278.
Texans United for a Conservative Majority PAC$116,000.00
Texans United for a Conservative Majority PAC
$116,000.00
- Cash
- $110,000.00
- Paid by others
- $6,000.00
- Total
- $116,000.00
Also funds 30 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Sep 3, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 27, 2025 to Oct 5, 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: 101010195, 101033131, 101073278.
Bryan Hughes Campaign$100,000.00
Bryan Hughes Campaign
$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 · Sep 29, 2026 to Oct 5, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · Sep 29, 2026 to Oct 5, 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: 101073278.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$135,000.00
- Cash
- $129,000.00
- Paid by others
- $6,000.00
- Total
- $135,000.00
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 · Sep 12, 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.
Report IDs: 100987789, 101010195, 101040645, 101069307, 101073278.
Texans United for a Conservative Majority PAC
$116,000.00
- Cash
- $110,000.00
- Paid by others
- $6,000.00
- Total
- $116,000.00
Also funds 30 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Sep 3, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 27, 2025 to Oct 5, 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: 101010195, 101033131, 101073278.
Bryan Hughes Campaign
$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 · Sep 29, 2026 to Oct 5, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · Sep 29, 2026 to Oct 5, 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: 101073278.
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 14, 2025
04/07/2025 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 5594 by Little (very similar)
Subjects
Housing--General
Property Interests--Real Property
DISCRIMINATION
REAL ESTATE BROKERS
Text
The text as introduced · 239 words
89R12939 JG-D By: Hall, Campbell S.B. No. 2971 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the prohibition of certain housing discrimination related to brokerage services. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 301.027, Property Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 301.027. BROKERAGE SERVICES. (a) A person may not deny another access to, or membership or participation in, a multiple-listing service, real estate brokers' organization, or other service, organization, or facility relating to the business of selling or renting dwellings, or discriminate against a person in the terms or conditions of access, membership, or participation in such an organization, service, or facility because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin. (b) For purposes of this section, the initiation of an ethics complaint against a person in relation to speech involving a matter of public concern or religion is included in the meaning of discrimination in the terms or conditions of membership. SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to a complaint filed with the Texas Workforce Commission civil rights division on or after the effective date of this Act. A complaint filed before that date is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.