2nd Special Session
Government Affairs & Regulatory Compliance Analysis
HB18 effectively freezes your ability to contribute to legislators during a "quorum break" or legislative walkout. While the civil penalties target the legislator for accepting funds, the operational burden falls on your PAC and Government Affairs team to stop disbursements immediately to avoid returned checks, accounting reconciliations, and reputational risk.
Rep. Matthew Shaheen·House Bill·2nd Special Session
15th Court of Appeals • District Courts (County of Member's Residence) • President of the Senate (Lt. Governor) • Speaker of the House
JD Key Consulting provides strategic guidance on Texas regulatory compliance and legislative impact for your business.
Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation
JD Key Consulting specializes in Texas regulatory compliance strategy. Work directly with James Dickey—former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas—to understand this bill's impact on your operations and develop an actionable compliance plan.
Schedule a ConsultationInformation presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.
This bill's path through the Texas Legislature
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Common questions about HB18
HB18 effectively freezes your ability to contribute to legislators during a "quorum break" or legislative walkout. While the civil penalties target the legislator for accepting funds, the operational burden falls on your PAC and Government Affairs team to stop disbursements immediately to avoid returned checks, accounting reconciliations, and reputational risk.
HB18 was authored by Texas Representative Matthew Shaheen during the 2nd Special Session.
HB18 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on September 17, 2025.
HB18 is enforced by 15th Court of Appeals, District Courts (County of Member's Residence), President of the Senate (Lt. Governor) and Speaker of the House.
The regulatory priority for HB18 is rated as "moderate". Businesses and organizations should review the legislation to understand potential impacts.
The cost impact of HB18 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.
HB18 addresses topics including ethics, legislature, salaries & expenses, political contributions and fifteenth court of appeals.
Key dates for HB18: Effective date is 2025-09-01. Consult with legal counsel regarding applicability.
HB18 establishes the following penalties: civil penalty of Up to $5,000 per violation for Accepting political contributions exceeding the daily legislative per diem (aggregate from a single person) during an impeding absence.; civil penalty of Up to $5,000 per violation for Making political expenditures for travel, food, or lodging in connection with an impeding absence.. Consult with legal counsel for specific applicability to your situation.
JD Key Consulting is an Austin, Texas-based government affairs firm led by James Dickey, former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. We specialize in Texas regulatory compliance and legislative strategy for data centers, energy, banking, and manufacturing.
