HB 5111 – Political Engagement regulations

HB 5111 imposes a broad and complex set of new regulations on campaign treasurer eligibility, expanding the authority of the Texas Ethics Commission while adding new bureaucratic layers to the political process. This bill creates arbitrary disqualifications, such as banning registered lobbyists or committee employees from serving as treasurers, even for unrelated entities, which undermines voluntary civic participation. It delegates investigatory power to TEC and opens the door to politically motivated enforcement. The civil penalties—up to three times the contributions received—are excessive and could be weaponized to silence grassroots efforts. While it claims to modernize ethics law, HB 5111 ultimately expands government oversight and red tape in campaign operations, threatening to stifle political engagement