This week, the Texas Senate took a significant step toward ending the egregious practice of taxpayer-funded lobbying, passing Senate Bill 19 (SB 19) by a vote of 20-11. Filed by State Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston), this legislation represents a critical blow against the misuse of taxpayer money to lobby against taxpayer interests. 

Taxpayer-funded lobbying has consistently served as a practice to undermine fiscal responsibility and the principles of limited government. Texans for Fiscal Responsibility applauds Senator Middleton and the Republican senators who stood firm in support of this commonsense reform, but we remain wary of a troubling amendment that weakens the bill’s impact.

SB 19, a legislative priority championed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), originally sought to prohibit political subdivisions such as cities, counties, and school districts from using taxpayer dollars to hire registered lobbyists or fund nonprofit associations that engage in lobbying activities. This would have dealt a decisive blow to groups like the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), which have long used public funds to advocate for policies that burden taxpayers, such as higher property taxes and resistance to school choice. For fiscal conservatives across the Lone Star State, this was a golden opportunity to restore accountability and ensure taxpayer dollars aren’t weaponized against the very people who provide them.

Sadly, during Senate deliberations, an amendment proposed by State Sen. Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) and adopted by a 15-13 vote stripped out key provisions of the bill. This amendment allows nonprofit associations representing political subdivisions to continue hiring registered lobbyists, effectively creating a loophole that preserves some taxpayer-funded lobbying under a different guise. While the amended bill still prevents local governments from directly hiring lobbyists, it fails to address the shell game played by organizations like TASB, which, if SB 19 is not changed back, will be able to continue to use the people’s money to contract lobbyists or employ full-time staff to influence legislation. 

We commend the following Republican senators for standing with Sen. Middleton and voting against this amendment, refusing to compromise on this essential issue:

Paul Bettencourt (Houston)

Brian Birdwell (Granbury)

Brandon Creighton (Conroe)

Pete Flores (Pleasanton)

Brent Hagenbuch (Denton)

Bob Hall (Edgewood)

Adam Hinojosa (Corpus Christi)

Bryan Hughes (Mineola)

Phil King (Weatherford)

Tan Parker (Flower Mound)

Angela Paxton (McKinney)

Kevin Sparks (Midland)

These lawmakers deserve our gratitude for their commitment to limited government and taxpayer protection. 

However, we are deeply disappointed in the six Republican senators who sided with Democrats to pass Nichols’ amendment, undermining the bill’s original intent. These lawmakers, Donna Campbell (New Braunfels), Kelly Hancock (North Richland Hills), Joan Huffman (Houston), Lois Kolkhorst (Brenham), Robert Nichols (Jacksonville), and Charles Schwertner (Georgetown) have unfortunately chosen to protect the interests of government lobbyists over taxpayers and fiscal responsibility. 

Despite this setback, the passage of SB 19, even in its amended form, marks progress in the fight against taxpayer-funded lobbying. The bill now moves to the Texas House, where fiscal conservatives have a chance to restore its original strength and close the loopholes introduced in the Senate. We call on House members to heed the growing demand from grassroots activists, the Republican Party of Texas and taxpayers across the state to end this unethical practice once and for all. 

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility remains committed to this cause. We urge our supporters to join us in holding lawmakers accountable and pushing for true reform. Together, we can protect taxpayers and families and preserve the Lone Star State’s legacy of freedom and prosperity.

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