Elon Musk’s 12 Texas Lobbyists Secure Majority of 2025 Bills, Spending Tens of Thousands on Gifts, New DOGE-Modeled Efficiency Office Created

During the 2025 legislative session in Texas, Elon Musk's lobbyists and representatives successfully advocated for nearly a dozen bills benefiting his companies, with all but three of these priorities slated to become law. Musk's team hired about a dozen lobbyists, more than any year since 2021, despite not rivaling the size of those representing major energy and telecommunications firms. These lobbyists include former gubernatorial staffers and a former member of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, which regulates utilities in the state. The lobbyists spent tens of thousands of dollars on gifts, meals, entertainment, and other benefits for state elected officials, their staff, family members, and guests, although Texas state transparency laws do not require disclosure of the specific recipients. Notably, two bills opposed by Musk's lobbyists, including one that would have mandated public hearings for fatal autonomous vehicle collisions, failed to pass. Additionally, lawmakers rewrote Texas corporate laws to align with Musk's interests and established a new efficiency office modeled after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This legislative success in Texas contrasts with Musk's more aggressive tactics in Washington, D.C., reflecting a long-term strategy to build influence in the state where he has steadily invested for over a decade.