Monitoring the SessionSB 347
Died in committee
The lobbying limit starts after the November 3, 2026 election and almost two years after the session begins. A separate section also limits it to members who leave office after that date, so current members are not covered until later.
Delayed startInitial 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 lobbying by former members of the legislature; creating a criminal offense.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Leaving after January 12, 2027? Sit out a full cycle or face a Class B misdemeanor.
The bill bars former Texas legislators from working as paid, registered lobbyists until a full two-year legislative cycle has passed after the cycle in which they last served. It touches former members who leave office after the bill takes effect, and it exempts those who lobby unpaid apart from expense reimbursement. Breaking the rule is a Class B misdemeanor offense, but the rule does not start until January 12, 2027, and covers only members who leave after that date.
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R SB 217 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 217 (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.CREATES AN OFFENSE. The caption of the graded version (introduced) reads: “relating to lobbying by former members of the legislature; creating a criminal offense.”NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 13, 2024 and referred to the Senate State Affairs committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
89R-SB347 · 2024-11-13
relating to lobbying by former members of the legislature; creating a criminal offense.
Leaving after January 12, 2027? Sit out a full cycle or face a Class B misdemeanor.
The bill bars former Texas legislators from working as paid, registered lobbyists until a full two-year legislative cycle has passed after the cycle in which they last served. It touches former members who leave office after the bill takes effect, and it exempts those who lobby unpaid apart from expense reimbursement. Breaking the rule is a Class B misdemeanor offense, but the rule does not start until January 12, 2027, and covers only members who leave after that date.
[x] DELAYED STARTanalysis confidence 70%
The lobbying limit starts after the November 3, 2026 election and almost two years after the session begins. A separate section also limits it to members who leave office after that date, so current members are not covered until later.
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
No verified beat found.
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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 · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. 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.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
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. Eckhardt, same lead author · Died in committee · same text
Introduced textLast action, Feb 15, 2023: Referred to State Affairs
Relating to lobbying by former members of the legislature; creating a criminal offense.
Caption, 88R bill history
Texas Senate · Filed Nov 13, 2024
02/03/2025 S Referred to State Affairs
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Senate committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee
Crimes--Miscellaneous
Ethics
Legislature
LOBBYISTS & LOBBYING
The text as introduced · 292 words
89R4307 CJD-D By: Eckhardt S.B. No. 347 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to lobbying by former members of the legislature; creating a criminal offense. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 572, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 572.062 to read as follows: Sec. 572.062. FORMER LEGISLATOR: LOBBYING RESTRICTED; CRIMINAL OFFENSE. (a) In this section: (1) "Administrative action," "communicates directly with," "legislation," "member of the executive branch," and "member of the legislative branch" have the meanings assigned by Section 305.002. (2) "Legislative cycle" means the two-year period beginning on the first day of a regular legislative session and ending on the day before the first day of the succeeding regular legislative session. (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a former member of the legislature may not engage in activities that require registration under Chapter 305 before the end of the legislative cycle following the legislative cycle in which the former member last served as a member of the legislature. (c) Subsection (b) does not apply to a former member of the legislature who does not receive compensation other than reimbursement for actual expenses for communicating directly with a member of the legislative branch or a member of the executive branch to influence legislation or an administrative action. (d) A former member of the legislature commits an offense if the former member violates this section. An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor. SECTION 2. Section 572.062, Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a member of the legislature who ceases to be a member of the legislature after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 12, 2027.