Texas Political Spotlight

3/24/2025

Texas Political Spotlight

SB 19, as Amended, Heads to The House

Welcome back, friends

The Texas Senate passed SB 19 this week, a bill aimed at limiting the use of public funds for lobbying, but an amendment has changed its scope. Meanwhile, a report from the State Auditor’s Office revealed that the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton cost the state approximately $5.1 million in taxpayer funds. Additionally, the Senate Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs Committee is set to hear testimony this week on SB 7 which is focused on enhancing Texas' water infrastructure.

Today’s Insights:

SB 19, as Amended, Heads to The House
Audit: Paxton Impeachment Costs Top $5M
Texas Senate to Review Water Infrastructure Bill

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 amendment] allows them to essentially play a shell game and say they are contract lobbyists or they are employees and then that’s fine, they can continue as they are now and get around the bill, and the purpose of the bill”

- Senator Mayes Middleton, Texas Senate Floor on March 19th, 89 (R)

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.

My Statement on the Completion of the State Auditor's Audit of All Impeachment-Related Spending: https://t.co/TNTuJETMCx #txlege pic.twitter.com/9ntr1hNIkO
— Office of the Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (@LtGovTX) March 21, 2025

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.

We hope you enjoyed today’s read!

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🚨 Bills & Business Podcast: Tackling Inflation & Expanding Healthcare Access with Ivan Jaime, Director of Government and Public Affairs at Walmart🚨

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Trusted by Government Affairs Professionals and Corporate Policy Teams

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Blog & Articles

Why Legislative Tracking Software Matters

Every legislative session brings thousands of new bills and hearings across the federal government, state legislatures, and local governments. For government affairs teams and law firms that must monitor state legislation or track regulations, the pace of change can be overwhelming.

Without digital platforms, staff may spend hours each day manually searching databases, reading committee reports, and updating spreadsheets. That process isn’t just inefficient—it’s risky. Missing one act or amendment could affect compliance, advocacy strategy, or even public reputation. Relying on manual tracking increases the chance of overlooking important details in legislative information, which can lead to missing critical updates or changes.

The Challenge of Volume and Velocity

Legislative and regulatory tracking spans bills, hearings, amendments, and regulations that appear daily.
Strategic decisions depend on access to verified data and real-time alerts.
Regulatory developments from government agencies can impact clients and advocacy groups instantly.

The Payoff

Automated tracking saves time, reduces human error, and delivers actionable insights faster. Teams can filter results, share updates, and focus their attention where it matters most—on influencing policy and shaping outcomes.

Key Features and Capabilities to Look For

Choosing the right tracking platform starts with understanding what differentiates effective tools from simple alert systems. Below are core features to evaluate before purchasing or implementing any solution.

Coverage Across Jurisdictions

The best systems provide a broad jurisdictional reach—from federal legislation to state legislative hearings and local government acts. Before committing, confirm whether the platform includes:

Federal and state legislation: Bills, amendments, regulations, hearings, and newly introduced bills, with Congress as a key source for federal legislative tracking.
Regulatory activity: Notices from agencies and committees.
Comprehensive data sources: Congressional records, local archives, and state portals.

Understanding the dynamic nature of Capitol Hill is crucial, as legislative activity and staff turnover at the federal level can significantly impact advocacy strategies and tracking efforts.

If your team must monitor state legislation, check that the vendor’s coverage includes smaller states and municipalities that frequently pass niche regulations.

Real Time Alerts and Notifications

Fast updates are critical for professionals who manage compliance or advocacy campaigns. Strong systems offer:

Instant email alerts for bill introductions, amendments, or new hearings.
Custom filters for topics, sponsors, committees, or jurisdictions.
Real-time dashboards showing where legislation is moving next.
Collaboration tools so teams can assign follow-up actions or comments.

With real-time alerts, government affairs professionals and policy experts can respond before deadlines pass—ensuring that organizations stay ahead and fully informed.

Analytics, Reporting, and Insight Generation

Good tracking isn’t just about collecting raw data. It’s about turning that data into useful analysis. A well-built platform helps users:

Create trend dashboards showing activity by topic, legislator, or region.
Generate reports to brief clients, executives, or advocacy groups.
Use artificial intelligence to compare bills, predict movement, or analyze outcomes.
Access historical data for longitudinal analysis.

By combining analytics with visualization tools, organizations gain the context needed to make strategic decisions quickly.

Artificial Intelligence in Legislative Tracking

Artificial intelligence transforms how government affairs professionals and government relations teams approach legislative tracking. By harnessing AI, organizations can analyze massive volumes of legislative and regulatory data in real time, ensuring that no critical bill or regulation goes unnoticed. AI-powered tools can automatically identify and prioritize bills that align with an organization’s advocacy goals, generate personalized bill summaries, and even predict the likelihood of legislative movement—all with minimal manual intervention.

For government relations professionals, this means less time spent sifting through raw data and more time focusing on strategy, stakeholder engagement, and influencing policy outcomes. AI-driven platforms can scan every legislative chamber, flagging new bills and regulations that matter most to your organization. These actionable insights empower teams to stay ahead of policy developments, respond quickly to emerging issues, and confidently make strategic decisions. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, it will play an increasingly vital role in helping professionals track legislation, analyze regulatory trends, and drive effective advocacy across all levels of government.

Ease of Use and Vendor Support

Complex systems often fail because users find them hard to operate. When evaluating tracking software, consider:

Intuitive search functions and clear navigation.
Vendor training, documentation, and help-desk responsiveness.
Implementation timelines and onboarding resources.
Integration options with CRM, compliance, or reporting platforms.

The easier the interface, the more likely professionals across departments—legal, advocacy, and communications—will actually use it.

Security and Data Protection

When it comes to legislative tracking, security and data protection are non-negotiable for government affairs professionals and organizations. The sensitive nature of legislative and regulatory data—combined with the need for accurate, up-to-date information—means that robust security measures are essential. Leading legislative tracking platforms employ advanced encryption, secure servers, and strict access controls to ensure that only authorized users can access critical information.

In addition, reputable platforms adhere to industry best practices and compliance standards, safeguarding client data from unauthorized access or breaches. This commitment to security allows government relations professionals to focus on their core strategy and advocacy efforts, knowing that their data is protected at every step. By selecting a platform with proven security protocols, organizations can confidently manage their legislative tracking activities and maintain the trust of stakeholders, clients, and team members.

Integration with Other Tools

For government affairs professionals, efficiency and collaboration are key to successful advocacy. That’s why seamless integration between legislative tracking platforms and other essential tools—such as CRM systems, email clients, and social media monitoring software—is so valuable. Integrated platforms enable government relations professionals to track bills, monitor legislator interactions, and analyze advocacy campaigns all in one place, reducing manual data entry and streamlining workflows.

By connecting legislative tracking with CRM systems, organizations can maintain a comprehensive record of stakeholder engagement, track the progress of key bills, and measure the impact of their advocacy efforts. Integration with communication tools also ensures that teams can quickly share updates, assign tasks, and coordinate responses to legislative developments. Ultimately, these integrations help government affairs teams stay ahead of policy changes, maximize efficiency, and deliver more effective results for their organizations and clients.

Cost, Scalability, and ROI

Pricing varies widely across platforms. Some charge by user, others by jurisdiction. Evaluate:

Scalability: Can you expand access as new teams join?
Hidden costs: Extra fees for integrations or data exports.
ROI: Measure efficiency gains, reduced research hours, and improved regulatory compliance.

The right investment pays for itself through faster tracking, stronger insight, and better policy outcomes.

Building Your Decision-Making Checklist

A structured checklist helps teams evaluate multiple vendors objectively. Consider the following steps:

Define scope: Identify which government levels—federal, state, local—your organization must monitor.
Map stakeholders: Determine which departments, clients, professionals, or legislators need access to legislative tracking information.
Create a scoring system: Rate vendors on coverage, alerts, analytics, ease of use, and cost.
Request demos: Ask vendors to show how their tools track legislation and deliver reports.
Review accuracy: Compare automated alerts to official legislative portals to confirm reliability.
Pilot the system: Run a short test during a legislative session to evaluate performance.

This structured review allows government relations professionals and policy experts to make choices based on measurable evidence, not sales claims.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Even sophisticated organizations can stumble during implementation. Watch for these frequent errors:

Assuming full coverage: Some systems exclude local governments or agency regulations. This can result in missing important government actions, leaving you unaware of key legislative or regulatory developments.
Overloading users: Too many irrelevant alerts lead to fatigue.
Ignoring integration: Platforms that don’t connect to existing tools reduce efficiency.
Underestimating training: Teams may resist new systems without clear onboarding.
Skipping metrics: Without KPIs, you can’t analyze ROI or improvement.

Avoiding these issues keeps your strategy grounded in real performance data.

Implementation Best Practices and Maximizing Value

Rolling out a new tracking platform works best when everyone understands the process. Follow these steps:

Stakeholder alignment: Engage government affairs, legal, and communications teams early.
Define taxonomy: Standardize issue tags, committees, and jurisdiction names.
Workflow mapping: Assign ownership for monitoring, escalation, and communication.
Training: Offer live sessions and short guides to reinforce adoption.
Continuous review: Revisit settings each quarter to refine alerts and search filters.

As policy cycles shift, ongoing optimization ensures that your system remains accurate, relevant, and responsive to regulatory developments.

For additional insight on how legislative and regulatory tools operate, review the NCSL’s bill tracking overview, which explains how professionals track state legislation effectively.

Future of Legislative Tracking

The future of legislative tracking is bright, with rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics reshaping how government affairs professionals and organizations monitor and influence policy. As the demand for real-time, data-driven insights grows, legislative tracking tools will become even more sophisticated—offering predictive analytics, automated reporting, and deeper integration with other advocacy platforms.

We can expect to see greater adoption of cloud-based solutions, enhanced security features, and more intuitive user interfaces that make it easier for government relations professionals to access and analyze critical information. The integration of legislative tracking with CRM, communication, and analytics tools will provide a unified view of advocacy efforts, enabling teams to coordinate strategy and engage stakeholders more effectively.

As the policy landscape evolves, staying ahead of legislative and regulatory developments will be essential for organizations seeking to influence legislation and achieve their advocacy goals. By embracing the latest technologies and innovations, government affairs professionals can ensure they remain agile, informed, and ready to drive meaningful impact in an ever-changing environment.

#41 - Eric Davis: The Future of Legislative Intelligence

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Learn More

Welcome to Episode #41 of Bills & Business. In this episode, Laura Carr, Co-Founder of USLege, sits down with Eric Davis, Co-Founder and CEO of USLege, for a behind-the-scenes look at how the company went from an idea in an Austin apartment to a fast-growing leader in legislative intelligence.

Eric shares the real story of building USLege from the ground up: the early bootstrapping days, customer research that validated the vision, and the turning points that led to securing investors like Reformation Ventures and Avalanche Ventures. Together, Laura and Eric discuss what it takes to build a Texas tech startup that is transforming how policy professionals work, communicate, and make impact.

They also dive into the next chapter for USLege, from AI-driven workflows to the future of legislative data and the evolving relationship between technology and government.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Bills & Business on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for more deep dives into Texas policy and business news.

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Texas Political Spotlight