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What's Up With The So-Called 'Texas Meme Bill' And People Saying Political Memes Are Being Criminalized? Dade Phelan’s 'House Bill 366' Explained

Photograph of State Representative Dade Phelan and the text "Texas Political Meme Criminalization Bill explained."
Photograph of State Representative Dade Phelan and the text "Texas Political Meme Criminalization Bill explained."

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Published May 01, 2025

Published May 01, 2025

The so-called "Texas Meme Bill," officially known as Texas House Bill 366, is spawning intense discourse regarding political expression and censorship on social media this week.

The bill was introduced by State Representative and Republican Dade Phelan in early 2025, criminalizing the distribution of altered media, which can include political memes, without a government-approved disclaimer.

Back in April 2024, Phelan was the victim of deepfakes in false advertisements, depicting him in an intimate hug with former U.S. House Speaker and Democrat Nancy Pelosi, which prompted him to create HB 366.

But can HB 366 really criminalize political memes in Texas and land anyone in legal trouble, or is it being misconstrued? Here's what Dade Phelan’s political memes bill actually says and how the internet is reacting to it.

What Is The 'Texas Political Meme Bill'?

The Texas House Bill 366 aims to make it illegal for a person who is an officeholder, candidate or political committee to share altered media related to political figures without proper disclaimers, particularly advertisements that include the use of deepfakes, AI and altered images.

Under the proposed legislation, individuals could face criminal charges for sharing content that misrepresents an officeholder or candidate's image, speech or actions, unless it clearly states that the altered media does not represent reality.

The bill initially gained attention on Twitter / X in March 2025 for its potential to censor the creation and sharing of political memes, as Texas Scorecard journalist @KamVTV uploaded a video on X explaining their take on the bill and alluding that, if approved, HB 366 could make "political memes a criminal offense, punishable by up to one year in jail."

Could Dade Phelan’s House Bill 366 Criminalize Political Memes?

Dade Phelan’s House Bill 366 does not specifically target political memes, but it could have significant implications for their creation and distribution of political content on social media.

The bill focuses on regulating the use of altered media like images, audio and video intended to influence elections, specifically if it was created or shared by an individual who is an officeholder, candidate or part of a political committee.

How Did The Internet React To 'Texas House Bill 366'?

After House Bill 366 was approved in late April 2025 by 106 members of the Texas House of Representatives, the subject quickly sparked backlash and criticism on social media, mostly labeling the bill a threat against political memes.

For instance, on April 29th, X user @Carlos__Turcios wrote, "The Texas House passed a bill to CRIMINALIZE POLITICAL MEMES."

However, the viral tweet criticizing the bill did receive a Community Note that day, which stated:

"HB366 requires political ads with altered media to include a disclosure stating the content isn’t real. Applies to political ads, not all social media posts or memes. Non-compliance is a Class A misdemeanor."

X user @LarryBrockJr posted a picture with all the voters in the controversial Texas bill, writing, "All Republicans who voted Green need to be primaried."

What Are Some More 'Texas House Bill 366' Memes and Reactions?




For the full history of the Texas Political Meme Criminalization Bill, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.

Tags: meme bill, texas, texas meme bill, texas political meme criminalization bill, political ads, politics, ai, deepfakes, artificial intelligence, house bill 366, hb 366, political memes, explainer, explained, controversy, backlash,



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