Austin News

Although sponsored legislation dedicated to ban taxpayer-funded lobbying continues to be postponed, state Sen. Bob Hall, R, Edgewood, and state Rep. Mayes Middleton, R, Wallisville, pledged to keep fighting for its support last Friday.

SB 27, created by Hall, was approved by the state Senate in April 2019. However, it was rejected and postponed in the state House of Representatives 58-85 the following month due to a technical error.

When proposing the bill in front of the House, Middleton created several amendments and floor maneuvers that altered many of the bill’s components, opponents charged.

Texas state Rep. Mayes Middleton, R, Wallisville

SB 27 was declared “dead” by May 20, 2019, after it failed to pass a third reading.

The bill’s ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying included any political organizations that imposed taxes, transit, regional mobility and toll road authorities. It permitted any governing body of a nonprofit association or a similar group to spend funds from membership dues or advocacy fees as long the association members do not get involved in pending litigation regarding these fields.

SB 27 did not prevent employees in the above-mentioned businesses to testify for or against any piece of legislation.

These associations would have also been required to submit financial records on year-end financial reports if they did not hire any lobbyists registered by the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC).

Since its creation, SB 27 received criticism from several organizations, including Texans for Strong Public Schools, the Texas Association of School Boards, Families for Property Rights and Neighborhood and Professional Advocacy Association of Texas (PAAT). The groups said the bill limits local government and school advocates’ vocal opinions.

Two polls were established by the Texas Public Policy Foundation in December 2018 and May 2019 that collected public feedback on SB 29. In May, it was revealed that roughly nine out of 10 Texas residents (or 88 percent) were opposed to using tax dollars for funding lobbyists. The results were similar in the December 2018 poll.

The polls found that overall, 78 percent of residents were strongly opposed for additional lobbyist funding through tax dollars.

SB 29 would have been made effective on Sept. 1, 2019, if it had not been rejected.