She likened the climate contributing to the couple's decision to leave Texas to "death by a thousand paper cuts."
The business risks to recruiting is especially high for oil companies, already unpopular with graduates of engineering programs, said Jonas Kron, chief advocacy officer at Trillium Asset Management.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has acknowledged the state is losing workers, but does not regret the departures.
Oil companies contribute to politicians who advocate for free trade, tax and energy policies through political action committees (PACs).
Dawn Seiffert, 52, and her husband, an oil company employee, returned to Texas in 2012 and planned to stay.