Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk secured several key victories during the 89th Texas Legislative Session, strengthening his influence in the state through a network of lobbyists and targeted legislation.
Musk deployed a team of 12 lobbyists to the Capitol this session — eight for SpaceX and four for Tesla — including one who also represented X, his social media platform.
The group featured prominent Texas political insiders, including Mike Toomey and Reed Clay, both of whom previously served in top roles under Gov. Greg Abbott, according to the Texas Tribune.
Among Musk’s legislative allies was State Sen. Adam Hinojosa (R-Corpus Christi), who carried multiple bills benefiting aerospace companies like SpaceX.
Senate Bill 2188 allows cities with spaceports in designated counties to temporarily close beaches on weekdays to accommodate spaceflight operations — a change from prior law, which gave that authority only to county commissioners. Counties still maintain exclusive control over Friday afternoons and weekends.
Hinojosa also filed Senate Bill 1706, which was signed into law. The measure allows certain state boards to hold closed-door meetings to discuss military, defense, and aerospace matters, including major NASA or Department of Defense projects. Economic incentive packages used to lure such projects to Texas may also be discussed privately. Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston) co-authored the bill.
The legislative wins mark Musk’s continued expansion in Texas, where he has launched SpaceX operations, opened Tesla’s Gigafactory, and increased his political engagement. His growing presence in Austin suggests a long-term play to position his companies at the center of Texas’ economic and technological future.