Texas Republicans are trying to prevent taxpayer money from winding up in the hands of professional lobbyists.

While they were unsuccessful in passing such a law during the 2019 session, the Legislature did mandate that local governments disclose their contracts and the money they spent on lobbying. Now they are attempting to keep the issue alive with a ballot measure before Republican voters on the primary ballot, with Election Day set for Tuesday, March 3. Early voting starts Tuesday, Feb. 18 and lasts through Friday, Feb. 28.

The ballot question is one of 21 facing voters this year, with the Texas Republican Party proposing 11 while Texas Democrats placed 10 before its members.

The lobbying proposal is Republican Party Ballot Proposition 3. It states: “Texas should ban the practice of taxpayer-funded lobbying, which allows your tax dollars to be spent on lobbyists who work against the taxpayer.”

It has no weight of law, but does allow Texas Republicans to see how important the issue to their members. Steven Chang of the Texas Secretary of State’s Office noted they are non-binding.

“The parties add these to the ballots as gauge what their bases want,” Chang told Texas Business Coalition. “They have no weight of law.”

“Keep in mind that this is an opinion poll of Republican voters and not a policy referendum,” according to the state party’s website. “When you vote YES or NO, you are telling us what you think should happen. You are not voting to make a law but merely saying you agree or disagree with the statement.”

State Rep. Mayes Middleton (R-Wallisville) has been one of the primary backers of this proposed change in state law. As a freshman lawmaker in 2013, he introduced a bill to ban all taxpayer-funded lobbying. It failed to become law.

Late last year, he sent out 3,000 letters to local governments asking them to disclose contract information on their lobbying efforts. Middleton said while some have complied, others have resisted or denied spending money on lobbying.

With local governments spending an estimated $41 million annually to lobby state government, there should be no problem learning how the money was spent, he said.

“This is just a basic taxpayer rights thing,” Middleton, who represents District 23, told Texas Business Coalition.

He has no intentions on letting the issue drop.

“The ban on taxpayer funded lobbying is a bill we must pass – 91 percent of Texans agree with this,” Middleton said.

He said there are other, and far better, ways to spend public dollars.

“Texans are tired of their tax money being diverted to the pockets of Austin lobbyists – away from police, teachers, firefighters, filling potholes,” Middleton said. “And often these lobbyists work against the taxpayers, using your hard-earned money to lobby for higher taxes!”

Middleton said when the lobbying bill was on the floor the gallery was “filled with taxpayer-funded lobbyists worried about their paycheck,” he said.

“Sadly the bill failed by 18 votes and when it did, the taxpayer-funded lobbyists cheered from the gallery,” he said. “That is the voice of the swamp in Austin."

Middleton said he doesn’t plan to stop working on this issue. It’s not about denying local government a voice, he said. It’s a matter of taking money out of the hands of professional advocates.

“The role of elected government is direct advocacy, hearing from our local elected officials, we want to encourage that,” Middleton said. “Hired gun Austin lobbyists are not from our communities and don’t know our communities.”