Environment
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified
Risks
- No material direct effect identified
StateTexasIntroduced
HB 18: Relating to a restriction on the acceptance of political contributions and the making of certain political expenditures by a member of the legislature and certain political committees during certain periods in which a member is absent from a legislative session; authorizing a civil penalty.
Matt Shaheen
HB 18 status: Introduced — Effective on (updated Sep 17, 2025).
Source
OpenStates
Confidence
Low
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
01
What this bill does
Official summary alongside an AI-generated read on where it stands and why.
Overall Score
75OUT OF 100
Score:75/100 civic fit
Risk:Moderate Risk
Impact:Moderate Impact 40/100
Constitutionality70%
Bipartisan50%
Public opinion75%
Bill summary
Relating to a restriction on the acceptance of political contributions and the making of certain political expenditures by a member of the legislature and certain political committees during certain periods in which a member is absent from a legislative session; authorizing a civil penalty.. Currently in House.
02
Impact analysis
✦ AI analysisModeled effects across six domains, estimated from bill text and comparable legislation.
Economy
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified
Risks
- No material direct effect identified
Society
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified
Risks
- No material direct effect identified
Technology Industry
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified
Risks
- No material direct effect identified
Civic Accountability
Positive outlook
75%
Benefits
- Increases accountability for legislative attendance
- Deters fundraising activities during legislative sessions
- Provides clear enforcement via civil penalties
Risks
- Possible administrative ambiguity regarding 'absence'
- Risk of partisan weaponization of penalty processes
- Potential constitutional challenges regarding political expression
Public Health & Safety
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified
Risks
- No material direct effect identified
03
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Sourcing already shown above, this is what the analysis found worth flagging.
Source
OpenStates
Official bill text or data from OpenStates.
Confidence
Low
Information is limited or incomplete.
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
Source used for this bill's analysis.
Source note
The definition of 'absence' could be legally contested if not clearly defined in the full bill text.
Analysis scope
Source provided is a brief abstract; full bill text is not available for analysis of specific definitions or penalty levels.
04
Where it stands
Official record- IntroducedCurrent
- CommitteeUpcoming
- Chamber votesUpcoming
- Final agreementUpcoming
- GovernorUpcoming
- EnactedUpcoming
05
How it affects your district
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06
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