Lobbying is big business

Lobbying is one of the most common activities in government. Hundreds of corporations, organizations, and governmental entities hire lobbyists to persuade legislators on issues as wide-ranging as agriculture to healthcare. So far this election cycle, more than $640 million has been committed to lobbying in Texas — that’s twice as much as has been donated to campaigns and PACs.

Who’s footing the bill?

Among those sending lobbyists to Austin are many organizations funded by taxpayers. Under the definition of tax-funded lobbying used to sort lobbying data on Transparency USA, entities that receive all or almost all of their funding from taxing authorities are considered to be taxpayer-funded. Think school districts, city councils, and those who contract exclusively or almost exclusively with the government.

For a more detailed explanation of how we classify lobbying, as well as the arguments for and against the practice of taxpayer-funded lobbying, click here. Whether you support or oppose the practice, it’s important to have the facts and to hold the government accountable.

The taxpayer-funded orgs topping the list

Here is a breakdown of the top 12 taxpayer-funded entities hiring lobbyists in Texas and the maximum amount they have committed to spend on lobbying this election cycle. As a reminder, lobbyists are allowed to report their income in ranges, rather than a specific dollar amount. To see the high and low end of the range, along with detailed transaction information, visit any of the taxpayer-funded lobbying clients’ pages at the links below.

Our database includes the full list of organizations, corporations, and entities — both taxpayer-funded and private — hiring lobbyists in Texas. Join us to get the latest insights on lobbying in Texas.