HB 176
Holt Bill Triples Crash Damages Against Defendants Here Unlawfully
Filed
Verdict: No flags
Initial review · graded Nov 9, 2026 · How we grade
Caption
relating to remedies against defendants not lawfully present in the United States in civil actions arising from a motor vehicle collision.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Win a car crash suit against someone unlawfully present? Courts must award 3x actual damages!
The bill requires courts to triple the actual damages awarded in a car crash lawsuit when the losing defendant was unlawfully present in the United States at the time of the crash. It touches people suing over injury, death, or loss from motor vehicle collisions, and defendants who were not lawfully present when the collision happened. Starting September 1, 2027, a winning claimant against such a defendant gets three times their actual damages, for claims that arise on or after that date.
Receipt
The receipt
90R-HB176 · 2026-11-09
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to remedies against defendants not lawfully present in the United States in civil actions arising from a motor vehicle collision.
WHAT IT DOES
Win a car crash suit against someone unlawfully present? Courts must award 3x actual damages!
The bill requires courts to triple the actual damages awarded in a car crash lawsuit when the losing defendant was unlawfully present in the United States at the time of the crash. It touches people suing over injury, death, or loss from motor vehicle collisions, and defendants who were not lawfully present when the collision happened. Starting September 1, 2027, a winning claimant against such a defendant gets three times their actual damages, for claims that arise on or after that date.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
FILED UNDER
The bill makes car crash suits against one class of defendant worth triple, which raises the payoff for bringing those suits.
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 28, 2024 to Oct 17, 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.
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$20,000.00
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC
$20,000.00
- Cash
- $20,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $20,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jul 18, 2025 to Oct 7, 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: 101012140, 101061664, 101070603.
Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC$15,000.00
Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC
$15,000.00
- Cash
- $15,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $15,000.00
Also funds 44 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jun 24, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 24, 2025 to Jun 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: 101005987, 101061664.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC
$20,000.00
- Cash
- $20,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $20,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jul 18, 2025 to Oct 7, 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: 101012140, 101061664, 101070603.
Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC
$15,000.00
- Cash
- $15,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $15,000.00
Also funds 44 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jun 24, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 24, 2025 to Jun 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: 101005987, 101061664.
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 a super-expensive superintelligence, Nov 9, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Nov 9, 2026
11/09/2026 H Filed
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Nov 10, 2026 at 2:31 AM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Subjects
Aliens
Civil Remedies & Liabilities
Text
The text as introduced · 222 words
90R499 AMF-D By: Holt H.B. No. 176 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to remedies against defendants not lawfully present in the United States in civil actions arising from a motor vehicle collision. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 72, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is amended by adding Subchapter C to read as follows: SUBCHAPTER C. MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISIONS INVOLVING DEFENDANTS NOT LAWFULLY PRESENT Sec. 72.101. RECOVERY OF TREBLE DAMAGES. (a) This section applies to a civil action to recover damages for injury, death, or loss caused in a motor vehicle collision. (b) A court shall award a claimant who successfully asserts a claim described by Subsection (a) against a defendant who was unlawfully present in the United States at the time of the collision three times the claimant's actual damages. SECTION 2. Section 72.101, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a cause of action that accrues on or after the effective date of this Act. A cause of action that accrued before the effective date of this Act 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, 2027.