The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Texas restricts political subdivisions from using public funds to hire lobbyists and pay certain association dues
Last action · August 20, 2025: Referred to State AffairsSponsors: Mayes Middleton and 15 others
+3 more versions
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Proposed
s in Texas are prohibited from spending public funds to hire registered lobbyists or pay dues to nonprofit associations that represent political subdivisions and employ registered lobbyists, effective 91 days after the legislative session ends. The restriction does not apply to associations that solely represent elected sheriffs or individual law enforcement officers, nor does it ban individual officials or employees from providing information to legislators.
Local governments face statutory spending limits on representation, while taxpayers gain the legal right to sue for injunctions and recover attorney's fees if local public funds are unlawfully directed toward lobbying activities.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Political subdivisions
Political subdivisions are barred from spending public funds on registered lobbyists and certain association dues.
Taxpayers and residents of political subdivisions
Taxpayers gain the right to sue for injunctive relief and recover attorney's fees against political subdivisions violating the lobbying restrictions.
Nonprofit associations representing political subdivisions
Associations that employ registered lobbyists may lose dues payments from political subdivisions unless exempt.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What recourse do taxpayers have if a local government violates these restrictions?
Are all associations representing local governments affected?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · passed the Senate · in House committee.
Procedural history
45 actions- Aug 20, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to State Affairs
- Aug 20, 2025HouseIntroducedRead first time
- Aug 20, 2025HouseReceived from the Senate
- Aug 19, 2025SenateReported engrossed
- Aug 19, 2025SenateReason for vote recorded in Journal
- Aug 19, 2025SenateFloorRecord vote
Show 39 earlier actions
- Aug 19, 2025SenateFloorPassed
- Aug 19, 2025SenateFloorRead 3rd time
- Aug 19, 2025SenateLaid before the Senate
- Aug 18, 2025SenateFloorRecord vote
- Aug 18, 2025SenateFloorPassed to engrossment
- Aug 18, 2025SenateFloorRecord vote
- Aug 18, 2025SenateAmendment fails of adoption
- Aug 18, 2025SenateAmendment(s) offered (FA6 Menéndez)
- Aug 18, 2025SenateFloorRecord vote
- Aug 18, 2025SenateAmendment fails of adoption
- Aug 18, 2025SenateAmendment(s) offered (FA5 Menéndez)
- Aug 18, 2025SenateFloorRecord vote
- Aug 18, 2025SenateAmendment fails of adoption
- Aug 18, 2025SenateAmendment(s) offered (FA4 Eckhardt)
- Aug 18, 2025SenateFloorRecord vote
- Aug 18, 2025SenateAmendment fails of adoption
- Aug 18, 2025SenateAmendment(s) offered (FA3 Eckhardt)
- Aug 18, 2025SenateFloorRecord vote
- Aug 18, 2025SenateAmendment fails of adoption
- Aug 18, 2025SenateAmendment(s) offered (FA13 Menéndez)
- Aug 18, 2025SenateFloorRecord vote
- Aug 18, 2025SenateAmendment fails of adoption
- Aug 18, 2025SenateAmendment(s) offered (FA1 Menéndez)
- Aug 18, 2025SenateFloorRead 2nd time
- Aug 18, 2025SenateFloorRecord vote
- Aug 18, 2025SenateRules suspended-Regular order of business
- Aug 18, 2025SenateCo-author authorized
- Aug 15, 2025SenateCommittee report printed and distributed
- Aug 15, 2025SenateCommitteeReported favorably w/o amendments
- Aug 15, 2025SenateVote taken in committee
- Aug 15, 2025SenateTestimony taken in committee
- Aug 15, 2025SenateConsidered in public hearing
- Aug 15, 2025SenateScheduled for public hearing on . . .
- Aug 15, 2025SenateFloorRecord vote
- Aug 15, 2025SenatePosting rule suspended
- Aug 15, 2025SenateCommitteeReferred to State Affairs
- Aug 15, 2025SenateIntroducedRead first time
- Aug 15, 2025SenateIntroducedFiled
- Aug 15, 2025SenateReceived by the Secretary of the Senate
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Show 11 more sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Taxpayer Enforcement Rights
The measure establishes a statutory right for individual taxpayers to seek injunctive relief and recover attorney's fees against local governments for lobbying expenditures.
Connected Entities
Sources
capitol.texas.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy65Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz45Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools