Texas lawmakers are taking steps to reform Texas campaign donations by introducing legislation aimed at limiting the influence of out-of-state money in state and local elections. House Bill 3592, filed by Speaker Dade Phelan, and Senate Bill 405 introduced by Senator Mayes Middleton, propose contribution caps to ensure that political funding within Texas better reflects the priorities of its residents.
HB 3592 and SB 405 would introduce tiered caps on campaign contributions from individuals residing outside Texas:
- $5,000 for candidates seeking statewide office,
- $2,500 for those running for district-level positions, and
- $1,000 for county-level candidates.
Additionally, political committees would be prohibited from contributing to a campaign if more than 50% of their funding came from non-Texans during the last reporting period. Violators of these rules could face civil penalties up to three times the amount of the unlawful contribution, and the Texas Ethics Commission would be responsible for enforcing the law and adopting necessary rules.
The bills have garnered support from conservative constitutional advocates, including Tom Glass, founder of Texas Constitutional Enforcement. His group backs the legislation as part of a broader effort to reassert state sovereignty and reduce federal and external interference in Texas governance. The organization’s motto, “Let Texans Run Texas,” reflects this philosophy. Glass, who has been advocating for such reforms over multiple legislative sessions, views these bills as a constitutionally sound compromise after legal advisers cautioned that a complete ban on out-of-state contributions would likely be struck down under existing U.S. Supreme Court precedent—particularly Citizens United v. FEC (2010), which equated political spending with protected speech under the First Amendment, and McCutcheon v. FEC (2014), which invalidated aggregate contribution limits on similar grounds.
Although the federal government already restricts foreign contributions to U.S. elections, these bills aim to extend similar principles to safeguard state-level integrity. The concern among supporters is that wealthy donors from outside Texas can wield outsized influence on local political outcomes, potentially overriding the priorities of Texas voters. By setting contribution limits rather than a full ban, HB 3592 and SB 405 aim to stay within legal bounds while still reducing that influence.
The House version of the bill is scheduled for a public hearing on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. in the Reagan Building (JHR 140), before the House State Affairs Committee. The public can submit comments in favor of HB 3592 online through the Texas House website. The bill was filed on March 3, referred to the State Affairs Committee on March 25, and is now advancing through the legislative process. SB 405, the Senate companion, was filed on November 21, 2024, and has been referred to the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Proponents like Glass argue that the proposed legislation is a meaningful first step in reasserting the rights of Texans to self-govern without the disproportionate influence of non-residents on Texas campaign donations. They believe that even if broader reforms face legal obstacles, targeted measures like these can help fortify Texas’ political processes against undue external pressure. As the legislative session continues, the outcome of these bills will serve as a test of how far Texas can go in defending its electoral sovereignty under current constitutional interpretations.
