Monitoring the Session

SB 946

Hughes Social Credit Bill Makes Lenders Use Numbers Alone

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsNeeds review
Sen. Bryan HughesRSenate 1
Why it's charged
Dragnet

THE CAPTION

…“extension of credit to organizations based on social credit or”…

Caption, introduced version (I)

THE TEXT

…“limit the credit extended for any reason not based on the”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption pitches a ban on credit decisions based on social credit or value-based standards. The text bans every reason that is not a quantitative, impartial standard, which reaches ordinary non-numeric lending judgment well beyond ESG or social-credit scoring.

Dragnet

Needs review · Nov 1, 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 on certain discrimination in the extension of credit to organizations based on social credit or value-based standards.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Bars limiting credit “for any reason not based on the” numbers. Ordinary lending judgment included.

The bill bars lenders and others in Texas consumer-credit deals from denying or limiting credit to a business or other organization for any reason except its failure to meet the lender's own number-based, neutral risk standards. It names social credit and ESG scores, diversity, equity and inclusion practices, and ties to a religious group or a legal industry like farming, fossil fuels, firearms or free-speech media as reasons a lender cannot use. Lenders would have to justify credit decisions on organizations with quantitative risk measures alone, starting immediately with a two-thirds vote or on September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R SB 1683 (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 SB 1683 (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.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on May 8, 2025. Died in the House: failed to receive a favorable vote in the State Affairs committee on May 15, 2025.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB946 · 2025-01-27

SOLD BY

+ 2 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the prohibition on certain discrimination in the extension of credit to organizations based on social credit or value-based standards.

WHAT IT DOES

Bars limiting credit “for any reason not based on the” numbers. Ordinary lending judgment included.

The bill bars lenders and others in Texas consumer-credit deals from denying or limiting credit to a business or other organization for any reason except its failure to meet the lender's own number-based, neutral risk standards. It names social credit and ESG scores, diversity, equity and inclusion practices, and ties to a religious group or a legal industry like farming, fossil fuels, firearms or free-speech media as reasons a lender cannot use. Lenders would have to justify credit decisions on organizations with quantitative risk measures alone, starting immediately with a two-thirds vote or on September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[x] DRAGNETanalysis confidence 50%

THE CAPTION

…“extension of credit to organizations based on social credit or”…

Caption, introduced version (I)

THE TEXT

…“limit the credit extended for any reason not based on the”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption pitches a ban on credit decisions based on social credit or value-based standards. The text bans every reason that is not a quantitative, impartial standard, which reaches ordinary non-numeric lending judgment well beyond ESG or social-credit scoring.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · May 1, 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

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to State Affairs
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in public hearing
  10. Vote taken in committee
  11. Reported favorably as substituted
  12. Committee report printed and distributed
  13. Co-author authorized
  14. Placed on intent calendar
  15. Co-author authorized
  16. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  17. Record vote
  18. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  19. Record vote
  20. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  21. Record vote
  22. Read 3rd time
  23. Passed
  24. Record vote
  25. Reported engrossed
  26. Received from the Senate
  27. Read first time
  28. Referred to State Affairs
  29. Considered in formal meeting
  30. Failed to receive affirmative vote in comm.
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 20 yea · 11 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · May 8, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

Smells

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.

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.

Votes4

Senate May 8, 2025

Yea
20
Nay
11
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 20, Nays 11. (Same as previous roll call)

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 20 (published)
  • Nay: 11 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 8, 2025

Yea
20
Nay
11
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Hughes moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 946 at this time on its third reading and final passage: CSSB 946, Relating to the prohibition on certain discrimination in the extension of credit to organizations based on social credit or value-based standards. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 20, Nays 11.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 20 (published)
  • Nay: 11 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 8, 2025

Yea
20
Nay
11
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by the following vote: Yeas 20, Nays 11. (Same as previous roll call)

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 20 (published)
  • Nay: 11 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 8, 2025

Yea
20
Nay
11
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Hughes moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 946 at this time on its second reading: CSSB 946, Relating to the prohibition on certain discrimination in the extension of credit to organizations based on social credit or value-based standards. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 20, Nays 11.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 20 (published)
  • Nay: 11 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses15
For
9
Against
5
On
1
Names

For

  • Consumers’ Research1 registration
  • Heartland Impact1 registration
  • JPMorganChase1 registration
  • PNC Bank1 registration
  • Self1 registration
  • Self; American Energy Institute1 registration
  • Self; American energy works1 registration
  • Texas Bankers Association1 registration
  • The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.1 registration

Against

  • Climate Cabinet1 registration
  • Freedom to Invest1 registration
  • Self2 registrations
  • Texas Civil Rights Project1 registration

On

  • ADF Action1 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 1, 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 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 SB 1683

by Sen. Hughes, same lead author · Died in committee · reworked

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 16, 2023: Referred to State Affairs

Relating to the prohibition on certain discrimination in the extension of credit based on social credit or value-based standards.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Jan 27, 2025

05/15/2025 H Failed to receive affirmative vote in comm.

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 2:05 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors

House committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Senate committee · State Affairs · Committee vote 9 aye, 1 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Subjects

Financial--General

DISCRIMINATION

LOANS

Text

The text as introduced · 372 words

89R2046 MLH-F

By: Hughes
S.B. No. 946

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the prohibition on certain discrimination in the

extension of credit to organizations based on social credit or

value-based standards.

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

SECTION 1. Section 341.401, Finance Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to

read as follows:

(a) In this section, "organization" has the meaning

assigned by Section 1.002, Business Organizations Code.

(a-1) An authorized lender or other person involved in a

transaction subject to this title may not deny to an individual who

has the capacity to contract an extension of credit, including a

loan, in the individual's name or restrict or limit the credit

extended:

(1) because of sex, race, color, religion, national

origin, marital status, or age;

(2) because all or part of the individual's income

derives from a public assistance program in the form of social

security or supplemental security income; or

(3) because the individual has in good faith exercised

a right under the Consumer Credit Protection Act (15 U.S.C. Section

1601 et seq.; 18 U.S.C. Section 891 et seq.).

(a-2) Except as expressly required by other law, an

authorized lender or other person involved in a transaction subject

to this title may not deny to an organization an extension of

credit, including a loan, in the organization's name or restrict or

limit the credit extended for any reason not based on the

organization's failure to meet quantitative, impartial standards

established by the lender for assessing financial risk, including

the organization's:

(1) social credit score or an environmental, social,

or governance score that is derived from subjective or value-based

standards;

(2) standards or practices pertaining to diversity,

equity, or inclusion; or

(3) contracts in, services given to, or association

with a particular religious institution or legal industry,

including agriculture, fossil fuels, firearms, or free-speech

media platforms.

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.