Credit card swipe fees in Texas
Relating to the charging of swipe fees on certain electronic payment transaction; authorizing a civil penalty.
Action needed: share your story
What SB 2026 does
- Scope: Applies to “swipe fees” — defined as the interchange fee plus any applicable assessment fee
- Exclusions: State/local taxes and gratuities listed separately on an invoice must be excluded from the total on which swipe fees are calculated
- Merchant relief: Payment card networks must either deduct these excluded amounts at settlement or rebate merchants for the portion of swipe fees attributable to them
- Prohibition: Issuers cannot adjust fee structures to bypass these rules
- Penalties: Civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation; the Texas Attorney General may seek restitution for overcharged merchants
Where it stands: SB 2026 was last left pending in the Senate Business & Commerce Committee on April 3, 2025. The 89th Legislature’s regular session has since ended. The next regular session begins January 12, 2027.
How it affects TXLEC’s outreach
Swipe fees reach any business that takes a credit card, so this is not an issue for one corner of the live events industry. It touches TXLEC members that accept credit cards across the state, which is why our outreach on swipe fee reform goes to business operators directly, wherever they are in Texas.
The most useful thing we can bring to this conversation is first-hand experience. We are gathering short testimonial videos and letters from local operators about how swipe fees affect their bottom line, their prices and their customers.
ACTION NEEDED
As part of our efforts to advance credit card swipe fee reform in Texas, we are seeking business operators in the following areas who can film a short testimonial video or write a letter about their experiences. We have talking points and other resources to make it easy; we may even be able to send someone to your business to capture your story directly. Please just let us know if you are interested so we can start the process.
We need testimonials from the following areas:
- Houston and surrounding areas, including Aldine
- Fort Worth
- Dallas, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Carrollton, and surrounding areas, including Irving, Grapevine, Coppell, Farmers Branch, Colleyville, University Park, Highland Village, The Colony, Justin, Argyle, Northlake, and Bartonville
- Georgetown, College Station, and surrounding areas, including Round Rock, Bryan, Hutto, Bastrop, Huntsville, Taylor, Caldwell, Rockdale, and Madisonville
- Brenham, Victoria, and surrounding areas, including Sugar Land, Rosenberg, Richmond, Navasota, Cuero, Port Lavaca, and Prairie View
- Corpus Christi, the Coastal Bend, and the Rio Grande Valley, including Rockport, Port Aransas, Portland, Kingsville, Brownsville, Harlingen, Weslaco, San Benito, San Juan, Alamo, and Donna
- Lubbock, Abilene, San Angelo, and surrounding West Texas communities, including Plainview, Levelland, Pampa, Sweetwater, Snyder, Brownfield, Slaton, Wolfforth, Post, Colorado City, Floydada, Tahoka, and Idalou
- Pearland, Lake Jackson, Angleton, and surrounding areas, including Clute, Freeport, Manvel, Iowa Colony, Richwood, West Columbia, and Sweeny
Participants do not need to be policy experts. We simply want to hear from local business operators about how credit card swipe fees affect your bottom line, your ability to keep prices affordable, and your customers. Thank you!