Legislative Action in Texas
Introduction to House Bill 18
AUSTIN — In an effort to stop lawmakers from denying the Texas Legislature a quorum in the future, a North Texas Republican filed a bill that would prevent legislators from being able to fundraise if they are impeding legislative action.
House Bill 18, by Rep. Matt Shaheen, R-Prosper, would ban any state lawmaker who is absent for the purposes of not stopping legislative action from accepting campaign contributions greater than $221 — the amount senators and representatives receive as a daily per diem during a regular or special session.
Shaheen introduced his bill in the House Elections panel Monday and the bill was left pending in the committee and can be voted out at a later date.
“The purpose of the bill is to stop the financial gain of those who are breaking quorum,” said Shaheen, who oversees the elections panel.
Background and Context
Dozens of House Democrats left Texas earlier this month as they tried to unsuccessfully prevent the GOP from passing a new congressional map that gives Republicans a five-seat advantage in the 2026 midterm elections.
Related
Texas officials tried to punish Democrats in numerous ways, including petitioning the Texas Supreme Court to have Democrats who broke quorum removed from office. The state’s high court has yet to rule on those lawsuits. Republicans, however, are attempting to make it more difficult to break quorum in the future.
Democrats have broken quorum twice this decade to try to prevent controversial bills from reaching Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. Neither effort — in 2021 and this month — prevented the legislation from passing.
Reactions and Responses
Rep. John Bucy, D-Austin, the vice chair of the panel, pointed out that the Texas Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that the state’s constitution “enables” breaking quorum. Shaheen pushed back and said his bill doesn’t specifically limit lawmakers from breaking quorum.
“What it does is it works to prevent members from benefiting financially during a quorum break,” Shaheen said.
Over the weekend, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said he would file a bill Tuesday to prevent elected officials, including the governor, from being able to receive campaign contributions during a special session.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in an interview with The Dallas Morning News he would ask Abbott to add the bill to the special session agenda.
Over the weekend, Senate Republicans thwarted an expected filibuster from Democratic Sen. Carol Alvarado of Houston against the congressional redistricting bill. Patrick pointed to a fundraising email Alvarado sent out prior to her filibuster while the Senate was on a dinner break.
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Patrick said such an email was inappropriate and that the Senate could not be used for campaign fundraising purposes.
Shaheen’s bill is not related to Alvarado’s fundraising email as it was filed the day before the senator announced she planned on filibustering.
Future Actions and Decisions
Abbott’s office did not respond to an email seeking comment Monday afternoon on whether he would sign either bill.
The House and Senate can pass bills that are not on the agenda for the overtime session but it’s up to Abbott if he signs them.
The current special session is scheduled to end on Saturday, Sept. 13.
Conclusion
The introduction of House Bill 18 and other related bills marks a significant development in the ongoing debate about quorum breaks and legislative action in Texas. As the special session comes to a close, it remains to be seen whether these bills will be signed into law and what impact they will have on future legislative sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is House Bill 18?
A: House Bill 18 is a bill filed by Rep. Matt Shaheen, R-Prosper, that would prevent legislators from being able to fundraise if they are impeding legislative action.
Q: Why was House Bill 18 introduced?
A: The bill was introduced in an effort to stop lawmakers from denying the Texas Legislature a quorum in the future.
Q: What is the current status of House Bill 18?
A: The bill was left pending in the House Elections panel and can be voted out at a later date.
Q: How do other lawmakers and officials feel about House Bill 18?
A: Reactions to the bill have been mixed, with some lawmakers and officials expressing support and others expressing opposition or concerns about the bill’s potential impact.
