The Senate Committee on State Affairs voted 10-0 to report Senate Bill 12 to the full Senate after a hearing on whether local governments should be allowed to spend public dollars to hire registered lobbyists.

Senator Lois Middleton, the bill’s author, told the committee the measure would prohibit municipalities, counties, school districts and other political subdivisions from paying contract lobbyists with public funds. "Local government should not be using your tax dollars to hire lobbyists in Austin that then lobby against you," Middleton said.

Proponents described a growing industry of taxpayer-funded lobbying. James Quintero of the Texas Public Policy Foundation and Andrew McVeigh of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility cited research showing rising contract-lobbying expenditures by local governments and urged the committee to curb what they described as taxpayer-funded special-interest advocacy.

Supporters said the bill protects taxpayers’ rights. "Local governments have used tax money to hire professional lobbyists to often work against taxpayers’ interests," McVeigh testified. "That practice should end."

Opponents, including municipalities’ trade groups and public-utility representatives, urged amendments or exemptions. Taylor Kilroy of the Texas Public Power Association warned the committee that municipally owned utilities and other locally run services represent millions of customers and must have a voice when agency rules or statewide policies — such as grid reliability — are under discussion. Claudia Yanez, a newly elected school-board trustee from Pflugerville ISD, said small school districts and rural communities rely on association and retained services to monitor fast-moving legislation and translate technical issues into local choices.

Witnesses debated the fine line between legitimate public education and paid advocacy. Several legislators noted the bill does not block local elected officials or their staff from speaking directly with lawmakers; supporters said the measure targets paid lobbyists rather than ordinary communication between constituents and their representatives.

The committee substitute adopted in committee keeps several carve-outs: membership in associations that provide non-lobbying services such as legal analysis or continuing education is left intact, and the measure focuses on registered contract lobbyists. The panel voted to send the bill to the full Senate for further consideration.