Texas Political Spotlight

SB 19, as Amended, Heads to The House

This past week on March 19th, the Texas Senate passed SB 19, a measure aimed at prohibiting political subdivisions from using public funds to hire registered lobbyists or support organizations that engage in lobbying. The bill, filed by Senator Mayes Middleton and designated as a priority by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, sought to prevent local governments from utilizing taxpayer money to influence legislation. However, an amendment proposed by Senator Robert Nichols and adopted by a vote of 15-13 significantly altered the bill’s impact. The revised bill now allows nonprofit associations representing political subdivisions, such as the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), to continue hiring registered lobbyists, as long as the political subdivisions are not directly hiring the lobbyists themselves.

Debate about the amendment is arising, with initial response suggesting that the changes undermine the bill’s original purpose by enabling nonprofits funded by local governments to continue lobbying efforts, albeit indirectly. Middleton expressed frustration during deliberations, stating that the amendment allows entities to avoid the bill’s restrictions.

The overall bill, as amended, passed the Senate by a vote of 20-11, with all Republicans voting in favor.

» Clip of Senate Floor Debate on SB 19

Audit: Paxton Impeachment Costs Top $5M

The impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton cost the state approximately $5.1 million in taxpayer funds, according to a report released Friday by the State Auditor’s Office. The majority of the expenses, nearly 87%, were attributed to the Texas House, which initiated the impeachment process over allegations that Paxton accepted bribes and abused his office’s authority. The House spent over $4.4 million, with more than $4 million allocated to “contracted professional services,” a category that includes payments to attorneys, investigators, and related costs. Notably, invoices for prominent Houston attorneys Rusty Hardin and Dick DeGuerin, who led the prosecution against Paxton, exceeded $3.5 million, according to records released in late 2023.

The Texas Senate, which ultimately acquitted Paxton, reported spending $435,000 on expenses such as lawmakers’ per diem payments, travel, and producing the trial journal. The Attorney General’s Office spent an additional $230,000, while two other agencies, the Texas Legislative Reference Library and the Texas Legislative Council, combined to spend roughly $8,500. The report was requested by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presided over Paxton’s trial and has been pressing the House to disclose its impeachment-related expenditures. In a statement released Friday, Patrick acknowledged Speaker Dustin Burrows for providing detailed expenditure reports but criticized former Speaker Dade Phelan for what he described as wasteful spending on the impeachment effort.

Texas Senate to Review Water Infrastructure Bill

The Senate Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs Committee will hear testimony Monday, March 24th on SB 7, a bill aimed at enhancing water infrastructure in Texas. Authored by Senator Charles Perry and identified as a priority by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the bill seeks to establish the Texas Water Fund Advisory Committee and the Office of Water Supply Conveyance Coordination. It would also create the New Water Supply for Texas Fund to support projects related to desalination, aquifer storage, and inter-regional water transportation. The legislation aims to promote best practices for water conveyance infrastructure, encourages the use of existing utility easements to minimize eminent domain, and requires biennial progress and financial reports on water supply projects. The bill follows a 2022 Texas Water Development Board study predicting potential water shortages by 2070 that could result in 1.4 million lost jobs and a $92 billion decrease in GDP. Lawmakers allocated $1 billion to water projects during the 88th Texas Legislature, with continued investment being prioritized this session.

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