A new bill authored by State Rep. Cain seeks to limit the use of public funds by political subdivisions for lobbying and related expenditures to enhance taxpayer protections, according to the Texas Legislature website.
The bill on Business & Commerce, City Government, County Government, Courts, Crimes, Elections, Fees & Other Nontax Revenue, Health, Minors, Occupational Regulation, State Agencies, Boards & Commissions, and Taxation category, introduced as HB 309 during the 89(2) legislative session on Thursday, Aug. 28, was formally listed with the short title: ’Relating to the creation of the Texas Hemp Council; regulation of products derived from hemp, including consumable hemp products and hemp beverages and the hemp-derived cannabinoids contained in those products; requiring occupational licenses and permits; imposing fees; creating criminal offenses; authorizing civil penalties; imposing taxes’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill restricts the use of public funds by political subdivisions for lobbying activities, prohibiting them from hiring lobbyists or paying nonprofit state associations that employ lobbyists. It provides taxpayers or residents the right to seek injunctive relief and recover attorney’s fees if these restrictions are violated. Furthermore, the bill amends existing local government codes to ensure compliance, preventing county officials from using public funds for certain memberships that contravene the new section. These provisions apply to expenditures or payments starting from the effective date, Sept. 1, 2025, and render any terms of contracts made prior, on, or after this date void if they contravene the new restrictions.
Briscoe Cain, a member of the House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock, proposed another five bills during the 89(2) legislative session. He is also a member of the House Committee on Delivery of Government Efficiency.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Legislative Session | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89(2) | HB 296 | 08/25/2025 | Relating to election procedures regarding accepting a voter with a residence address that is not current and the immediate effect of a voter’s registration after the registrar’s receipt of certain change of address notices |
| 89(2) | HB 82 | 08/15/2025 | Relating to abortion, including civil liability for distribution of abortion-inducing drugs; making conforming changes and harmonizing conforming provisions; authorizing a private civil right of action |
| 89(2) | HB 81 | 08/15/2025 | Relating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds for lobbying and certain other activities |
| 89(2) | HB 79 | 08/15/2025 | Relating to reducing school district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes through the use of certain surplus state revenue |
| 89(2) | HB 77 | 08/15/2025 | Relating to the repeal of or limitations on certain state and local taxes, including school district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes, the enactment of state and local value added taxes, and related school finance reform; imposing taxes |
| 89(1) | HB 257 | 08/04/2025 | Relating to a vacancy in the office of senator or representative due to excessive absence |
| 89(1) | HB 65 | 07/14/2025 | Relating to abortion, including civil liability for distribution of abortion-inducing drugs; making conforming changes and harmonizing conforming provisions; authorizing a private civil right of action |
| 89(1) | HB 64 | 07/14/2025 | Relating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds for lobbying and certain other activities |
| 89(1) | HB 63 | 07/14/2025 | Relating to a limit on municipal and county expenditures |
| 89(1) | HB 62 | 07/14/2025 | Relating to reducing school district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes through the use of certain surplus state revenue |
| 89(1) | HB 61 | 07/14/2025 | Relating to the repeal of or limitations on certain state and local taxes, including school district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes, the enactment of state and local value added taxes, and related school finance reform; imposing taxes |
| 89(R) | HB 5643 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the production, sale, distribution, delivery, and regulation of hemp; creating a criminal offense; imposing a tax |
| 89(R) | HB 5439 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to limiting damages recoverable against alcohol beverage providers for providing alcohol to certain individuals and prohibiting claims by intoxicated persons or their estates for injuries or death resulting from their own intoxication |
| 89(R) | HB 5418 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the composition of the board of directors of the Texas School Safety Center |
| 89(R) | HB 5023 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to a periodic comprehensive performance audit of certain operations of hospital districts located in populous counties |
| 89(R) | HB 5013 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the Texas Racing Commission and the regulation of dog races, including greyhound races, as live events in this state and of simulcast wagering on greyhound races conducted out of state |
| 89(R) | HB 4973 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the election of members of the governing body of a municipality representing single-member districts, wards, and areas on apportionment |
| 89(R) | HB 4972 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the authority of a municipality to transfer revenue of a municipal utility to the general fund of the municipality |
| 89(R) | HB 4971 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to prohibiting the purchase of food or drink items containing certain food additives under the supplemental nutrition assistance program |
| 89(R) | HB 4970 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to prohibiting the purchase of certain food and drink items under the supplemental nutrition assistance program |
| 89(R) | HB 4818 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the creation of an enhanced license designation for a license to carry a handgun and the locations in which the holder of that enhanced license may carry a handgun |
| 89(R) | HB 4597 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to interests in real property held or acquired by or on behalf of certain foreign individuals or entities and the authority of the attorney general to acquire the property by eminent domain; establishing the homeland security review committee; creating a criminal offense |
| 89(R) | HB 4451 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to possessing, manufacturing, transporting, repairing, or selling a machine gun |
| 89(R) | HB 4431 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to repealing the chapter of the Local Government Code related to zoological operation and maintenance boards |
| 89(R) | HB 4425 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to prohibiting public officers and employees from displaying preferred gender pronouns; authorizing a private civil right of action |
| 89(R) | HB 4423 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to the collection, possession, or use of biometric identifiers and biometric information |
| 89(R) | HB 4405 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to a commission to coordinate celebrations of the bicentennial anniversary of Texas’ independence |
| 89(R) | HB 4366 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to the distribution of and access to certain state agency publications |
| 89(R) | HB 4242 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to the production, sale, distribution, delivery, and regulation of hemp; creating a criminal offense |
| 89(R) | HB 4182 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to repealing the Cultural Basin Act of 1973 |
| 89(R) | HB 4181 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to abolishing the Interagency Data Transparency Commission |
| 89(R) | HB 4072 | 03/07/2025 | Relating to the relocation of the headquarters for certain state agencies |
| 89(R) | HB 3985 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the designation of a portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2100 in Harris County as President Donald J. Trump Road |
| 89(R) | HB 3979 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the licensing and regulation of naturopathic physicians; requiring an occupational license; authorizing fees; providing penalties; creating a criminal offense |
| 89(R) | HB 3822 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to parental leave policies for certain public school classroom teachers |
| 89(R) | HB 3625 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to repealing the Texas green job skills development fund and the green job skills grant program |
| 89(R) | HB 3591 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to prohibiting contracts between certain state agencies and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives |
| 89(R) | HB 3286 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to the commission on uniform state laws |
| 89(R) | HB 3202 | 02/21/2025 | Relating to the green job skills development fund and training program |
| 89(R) | HB 3200 | 02/21/2025 | Prohibiting certain transactions between governmental entities and abortion funds, as well as entities engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity as defined by federal law |
| 89(R) | HB 3170 | 02/21/2025 | Relating to transparency in special education legal proceedings involving a school district and a limit on legal fees that may be spent by a school district in special education legal proceedings |
| 89(R) | HB 3054 | 02/19/2025 | Relating to the types of trees a governmental entity is authorized to plant on public property |
| 89(R) | HB 3019 | 02/19/2025 | Relating to the authority of certain metropolitan rapid transit authorities and related entities to request and receive federal funds |
| 89(R) | HB 2976 | 02/18/2025 | Relating to the marketing and sale of catfish and similar fish by food service establishments; providing administrative and civil penalties |
| 89(R) | HB 2969 | 02/18/2025 | Relating to discrimination against or burdening certain constitutional rights of an applicant for or holder of a license to practice law in this state |
| 89(R) | HB 2912 | 02/18/2025 | Relating to a prohibition on engaging in lobbying activities on behalf of a foreign adversary; providing a civil penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 2826 | 02/13/2025 | Relating to the regulation of certain political communications, a prohibition on electioneering by school district and open-enrollment charter school officials and employees, and actions and other proceedings by a public school challenging the operations of the public school system; authorizing an administrative penalty; creating a criminal offense |
| 89(R) | HB 2810 | 02/13/2025 | Relating to the power of a governmental entity to enforce compliance with posted speed limits by an automated traffic control system |
| 89(R) | HB 2736 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to an election authorizing the issuance of bonds or an increase in taxes by a political subdivision |
| 89(R) | HB 2600 | 02/10/2025 | Relating to the purchase of periodicals by state agencies and certain state officers and to prohibiting state agencies from providing financial support to the news media |
