Texas Republicans are finally on the offensive — delivering landmark conservative victories in the state Senate while rolling out a bold new congressional map designed to solidify GOP dominance in the Lone Star State.

This week, the Senate passed a ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying, legislation restoring the attorney general’s power to prosecute election crimes, and a bill regulating hemp products. Meanwhile, the Texas House unveiled a redistricting proposal that could give Republicans five additional U.S. House seats.

Banning Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying

For years, Texans have watched their hard-earned dollars used by local governments to fund lobbyists who often advocate against conservative reforms in Austin. That ends now — at least in the Texas Senate.

Senators passed a bill banning cities, counties, and school districts from spending public funds on lobbyists. The reform puts the people back in control and prevents taxpayer dollars from being weaponized against conservative priorities like property tax relief, parental rights, and fiscal transparency.

The House will now consider the measure, where grassroots pressure is expected to be intense.

Restoring the Attorney General’s Power to Prosecute Election Crimes

In a major move for election integrity, the Senate also passed legislation restoring the Texas attorney general’s ability to prosecute election-related crimes independently — reversing a 2021 court decision that weakened the state’s ability to enforce election law.

This change is essential to ensuring consistent accountability across Texas, especially in jurisdictions where political DAs have shown reluctance to prosecute voter fraud.

THC Regulation

The Senate also passed a more nuanced bill aimed at curbing the sale of unregulated hemp-derived THC products like delta-8 and delta-9. While the legislation doesn’t outlaw all hemp products, it sets clear boundaries to prevent high-potency variants from being sold unchecked.

Lawmakers struck a moderate tone, recognizing the need to protect public health while avoiding unnecessary overregulation of legal businesses. You can read Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s statement on it here – which notes Parker County State Senator Brent Hagenbuch was absent and did not vote on the bill, but was in favor of it during the regular session.

Redrawing the Map: House GOP Moves to Strengthen Texas’ Republican Majority

Over in the House, Republicans revealed a draft congressional map that could flip five Democrat-held seats — a move designed to make Texas redder and help Republicans reclaim a stronger national majority.

 The map targets vulnerable Democrats in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and South Texas. It reflects the reality on the ground: Donald Trump won 30 of the proposed districts in 2024, many by double digits. Republicans currently hold 25 of Texas’s 38 seats in Congress. Under the new lines, that number could climb significantly — cementing Texas as a firewall for national conservative gains.

Democrats are already crying foul and hinting at procedural stunts and legal challenges.