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Bill

HB 143

Relating to political advertising distributed or broadcast as part of a mass text message campaign and civil penalties for required disclosures on certain political advertising.

89th Legislature, 1st Called Session (2025) Introduced by Dade Phelan

Texas bill requires political text message campaigns to disclose sponsorship and establishes civil penalties for non-compliance with disclosure rules.

Filed
#advertising(s2680) #email&electroniccommunications(s0321) #elections--campaignfinancing(i0290) #elections--candidates(i0280) #elections--general(i0310)
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 143

Legislative bill overview

HB 143 establishes requirements for political advertising distributed through mass text message campaigns, including mandatory disclosure provisions identifying who is responsible for the ads. The bill also creates civil penalties for violations of these disclosure requirements on certain political advertisements.

Why is this important

Text message campaigns are an increasingly direct and cost-effective way for political candidates and groups to reach voters, but this channel has largely operated without the transparency requirements applied to traditional advertising. This bill attempts to bring accountability and voter awareness to SMS political outreach by requiring clear identification of sponsorship—similar to existing rules for TV, radio, and digital ads.

Potential points of contention

  • First Amendment concerns: Political speech advocates may argue that mandatory disclosure requirements could chill free speech or create burdensome compliance costs for grassroots campaigns and smaller organizations
  • Enforcement and penalties: The bill's civil penalty structure may be unclear regarding who enforces violations, what penalty amounts apply, and whether penalties could be weaponized against political opponents
  • Definition scope: Questions about what qualifies as "political advertising" versus general voter outreach, and whether the rules apply equally to all types of political messages (candidate ads, issue campaigns, voter mobilization efforts)

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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