Monitoring the SessionSB 278
Died in committee
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
relating to employment restrictions for former Texas Commission on Environmental Quality employees; providing an administrative penalty.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Two years out before joining any industry the commission regulates. Every employee.
The bill bars anyone who leaves a job at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality from taking a job in any industry the commission regulates for two years after leaving. It touches every former commission employee, not only senior staff, and the businesses that would hire them. A business that hires a former employee during the two-year window faces an administrative penalty of up to three times the salary for the job, starting with people who leave the agency on or after September 1, 2025.
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R SB 239 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 239 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 12, 2024 and referred to the Senate State Affairs committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
89R-SB278 · 2024-11-12
relating to employment restrictions for former Texas Commission on Environmental Quality employees; providing an administrative penalty.
Two years out before joining any industry the commission regulates. Every employee.
The bill bars anyone who leaves a job at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality from taking a job in any industry the commission regulates for two years after leaving. It touches every former commission employee, not only senior staff, and the businesses that would hire them. A business that hires a former employee during the two-year window faces an administrative penalty of up to three times the salary for the job, starting with people who leave the agency on or after September 1, 2025.
[ ] NONE FOUND
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Not tied to this bill.
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Sep 4, 2024 to Nov 30, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
$15,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamDerived itemized flow · Oct 25, 2024 to Nov 3, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100990780, 101043817.
$10,000.00
Also funds 131 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 8, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamDerived itemized flow · on Oct 24, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101043817.
$8,833.00
Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Sep 1, 2024 to Sep 4, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
Derived itemized flow · on Nov 1, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100990780.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
$15,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamDerived itemized flow · Oct 25, 2024 to Nov 3, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100990780, 101043817.
$10,000.00
Also funds 131 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 8, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamDerived itemized flow · on Oct 24, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101043817.
$8,833.00
Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Sep 1, 2024 to Sep 4, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
Derived itemized flow · on Nov 1, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100990780.
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.
by Sen. Miles, same lead author · Died in committee · reworked
Introduced textLast action, Feb 15, 2023: Referred to State Affairs
Relating to employment restrictions for former employees of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; providing an administrative penalty.
Caption, 88R bill history
Texas Senate · Filed Nov 12, 2024
02/03/2025 S Referred to State Affairs
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Senate committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee
Environment--General
Ethics
State Agencies, Boards & Commissions
State Employees
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, TEXAS COMMISSION ON
The text as introduced · 201 words
89R400 MPF-D By: Miles S.B. No. 278 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to employment restrictions for former Texas Commission on Environmental Quality employees; providing an administrative penalty. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 5, Water Code, is amended by adding Section 5.062 to read as follows: Sec. 5.062. CERTAIN EMPLOYMENT FOR FORMER EMPLOYEE RESTRICTED. A former commission employee may not accept employment in an industry regulated by the commission, as described in Section 5.013(a), before the second anniversary of the date the person ceased to be a commission employee. SECTION 2. Section 7.052, Water Code, is amended by adding Subsection (b-5) to read as follows: (b-5) A person who hires a former commission employee in violation of Section 5.062 is subject to an administrative penalty not to exceed an amount that is equal to three times the employee's salary for the position hired. SECTION 3. Section 5.062, Water Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a person who ceases to be a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality employee on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.