Your Money Should Not Hire Lobbyists. HB 117 Says Stop.

Your city pays a lobbyist. With your money. To lobby the people you already elected.

HB 117 says stop.

Plain English

On November 9, 2026, the first day of bill filing for the 2027 session, Rep. Mike Olcott filed House Bill 117. (FACT: HB 117 bill text, Filed House Bills report)

The caption is short. "Relating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds for lobbying activities."

Here is what it does. A city, county, school district or other political subdivision could not spend public money to hire a registered lobbyist to lobby the Legislature. It also could not pay dues to an association that mainly represents local governments if that association hires registered lobbyists. (FACT: bill text, new Government Code Sec. 556.0056(a))

Why it matters

Think about how it works today.

You pay property tax. Part of it goes to your local government. Some local governments use part of that to pay a professional lobbyist in Austin. That lobbyist works the same lawmakers you vote for.

Sometimes on the same bills you want passed.

So you pay twice. Once to fund the government. Once to fund the lobbyist working the Capitol on the government's side of the fight.

That is the whole question in this bill. Should your tax dollars hire people to lobby your own representatives?

This is not a new fight. In 2025 Gov. Abbott put a taxpayer-funded lobbying ban on the special session agenda, and the Texas GOP later passed a resolution condemning the "obstruction" of that ban and calling for a third special session. (DOCUMENTED INFERENCE: KLTV, Aug. 17, 2025; Texas GOP resolution)

It did not become law. Now it is back on day one.

The receipt

Read the bill. It is four pages. Here is what is in it. (FACT: HB 117 bill text)

• The ban. No public funds to hire a registered lobbyist to lobby a member of the Legislature. No public funds to an association that mainly represents local governments and hires registered lobbyists.
• The carve out. Associations that only represent elected sheriffs or individual law enforcement officers are exempt.
• What stays legal. Local officials and employees can still give lawmakers information and testify before committees. Elected local officers can still advocate on bills. Travel costs for that can still be reimbursed. Full time staff of local government associations can still track bills, send alerts, talk to lawmakers in ways that do not require lobbyist registration, and testify.
• Your enforcement tool. A taxpayer or resident can go to court to stop a violation and recover reasonable attorney's fees if they win.
• Old contracts. Any contract term paying for prohibited lobbying is void on the effective date.
• County dues. It rewrites the county association dues law (Local Government Code 89.002) so the new rule governs.
• Effective date. September 1, 2027.

What Ryan says

This is the record. And I like this one.

I am a Marine. I am from East Texas. I believe the people who pay the bill should be the ones with the loudest voice in Austin.

Your mayor can drive to Austin. Your county judge can testify. Your school board president can pick up the phone. This bill keeps all of that legal.

What it stops is the hired gun paid with your money.

If a local government needs something from the Legislature, let the people you elected go ask for it. In public. With their names on it.

Same voters. Same lawmakers. One side should not get to buy extra time with money it took from the other side.

I want to know something too. Which East Texas cities, counties and school districts pay registered lobbyists right now, and how much? I do not have that list. That is NEEDS AUTHENTICATION until someone pulls the Texas Ethics Commission lobby filings and the local budgets. Send them to me.

What this does not prove

It does not prove this bill will pass. It was filed. That is step one of many.

It does not prove any East Texas government is doing anything illegal. Hiring lobbyists is legal today.

It does not prove every local government association is bad. The bill itself lets their full time staff keep testifying and tracking bills.

And it does not tell us what happens to the sheriff carve out in committee. Watch that line.

What it does prove

A taxpayer-funded lobbying ban was filed on the first day. (FACT)

It has teeth. A resident can sue and get attorney's fees. (FACT)

It was a priority in 2025 and did not become law. (DOCUMENTED INFERENCE)

The bottom line

Your money. Your lawmakers. Your voice.

Not a hired lobbyist's.

Read HB 117. Ask your state representative and state senator where they stand. Ask your city and county if they pay a lobbyist and what it costs. Show me the evidence.

Do not threaten anyone. Do not harass anyone. Do not contact anyone in my name. Read it. Share it. Send receipts, evidence, witnesses. Put eyes on the record.