Good morning, 

Could this be the session that state lawmakers finally end taxpayer-funded lobbying?

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Brandon Waltens 

Monday, March 29, 2021
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• A long-standing practice in the halls of the Texas Capitol, taxpayer-funded lobbying refers to cities, counties, and other local governments or taxing entities spending taxpayer funds to lobby the legislature. Often, it is done in an effort to take on pro-taxpayer policies such as property tax relief and reform or measures of increased accountability and transparency.
   

• Perhaps this truth was no more evident than last legislative session when lobbyists representing cities, counties, and other local entities swarmed the Capitol to oppose the session’s marquee property tax reform bill: Senate Bill 2.

• For the past few years, banning taxpayer-funded lobbying has been a legislative priority of the Republican Party of Texas, and in March of last year, nearly 95 percent of Republican primary voters in Texas supported a proposition to call for completely ending taxpayer-funded lobbying.

  Not reform. Not regulation. They supported a complete abolition of the practice.

• Last session, legislation end the practice was passed by the Senate.  The bill was later considered by the House of Representatives. When it was brought up, a majority of members voted to water down the legislation, before ultimately voting it down entirely.
   
• This session, supporters are hopeful for a different outcome.
   

• House Bill 749 by State Rep. Mayes Middleton (R–Wallisville), which would ban the practice of taxpayer-funded lobbying, was heard in the House State Affairs Committee last week in a marathon hearing that lasted until the next morning. That bill has been left pending in committee.
   

• The companion bill to Middleton’s in the Senate, Senate Bill 234 by State Sen. Bob Hall (R–Edgewood), has been referred to the Senate State Affairs Committee but has yet to have been scheduled for a public hearing.
   

• Another bill that would end the practice at the local level, albeit on a narrower level, was also filed in Senate Bill 10 by State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R–Houston) and has been referred to the Senate Local Government Committee, but has yet to get a hearing either, though it’s been named a priority by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

• Since the legislative session ended last year, however, the issue has not disappeared. Indeed, numerous officeholders—including now State Rep. Dade Phelan (R–Beaumont), who is now speaker of the House—have pledged to ban taxpayer-funded lobbying.
   

• With Texas voters electing to keep a Republican majority in both chambers of the state legislature, the eyes of Texas will be on lawmakers to see whether a bill to completely ban the practice will be passed, or if they will simply pass reform that tinkers around the edges.

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