Texas House bill in Session 892.
Status: introduced. Latest action: September 17, 2025.
Relating to measures to prevent and reduce fraudulent charitable solicitations and theft during declared disasters, including establishing a designation program for disaster relief nonprofit organizations and financial institutions; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal penalty.
During the catastrophic flooding in the Texas Hill Country, the Center Point Volunteer Fire Department of Kerr County lost most of its fire station to floodwaters while conducting rescue and recovery operations. As the department sought donations, fraudulent charitable solicitation schemes exploited the tragedy by impersonating the department, deceiving donors into sending money for personal gain. Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation after these schemes were reported, citing the need to protect both disaster victims and charitable donors from predatory actors. This incident, coupled with broader reports of disaster-related fraudulent activity—including fake nonprofits, fraudulent missing-person hotlines, and false volunteer solicitations—brought the issue to the bill author's attention.
| Date | Event | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-15 | Introduced | Bill introduced |
| 2025-09-17 | Status | introduced |
| 2025-09-17 | Latest Action | Effective on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December 4, 2025 |