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Bill

HB 2981

Relating to prohibiting contributions, expenditures, and related activities involving a specific-purpose committee for supporting or opposing a ballot measure; creating a criminal offense; providing a civil penalty.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Terri Leo-Wilson

HB 2981 criminalizes contributions and expenditures by ballot-specific committees, restricting campaign finance for ballot proposition campaigns in Texas.

Referred to State Affairs
#civilremedies&liabilities(i0065) #crimes--miscellaneous(i0200) #ethicscommission #texas(v9939) #elections--campaignfinancing(i0290) #ethics(i0345) #internationalrelations(s0038)
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 2981

Legislative bill overview

HB 2981 would prohibit specific-purpose committees (organizations formed to support or oppose particular ballot measures) from making contributions, expenditures, and related activities related to ballot measures. The bill would create criminal penalties for violations and establish civil remedies, effectively restricting how money flows to and from committees focused on ballot proposition campaigns.

Why is this important

Ballot measure committees currently operate as significant players in Texas electoral politics, raising and spending substantial sums to influence voter decisions on propositions. This bill would fundamentally alter campaign finance rules for ballot-specific organizing, potentially reducing the financial resources available for public discourse on ballot measures while raising constitutional questions about political speech and First Amendment protections.

Potential points of contention

  • Free speech concerns: Courts have consistently protected spending on ballot measures as political speech; this blanket prohibition may face constitutional challenges under Citizens United and related precedents
  • Enforcement complexity: Defining what constitutes a "related activity" and distinguishing prohibited ballot measure committees from general advocacy groups could create ambiguous enforcement scenarios
  • Practical impact disparity: The restriction might disproportionately affect well-funded groups opposing measures while potentially benefiting government entities or established interests that can control ballot measure messaging through official channels

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

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