Bill Text: TX HB755 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to certain requirements applicable to certain public entities that engage in lobbying.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 4)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-04-14 - Left pending in committee [HB755 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB755-Introduced.html
| 89R3276 GP-D | ||
| By: Spiller | H.B. No. 755 | |
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| relating to certain requirements applicable to certain public | ||
| entities that engage in lobbying. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 556, Government Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Section 556.0056 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 556.0056. RESTRICTIONS ON LOBBYING EXPENDITURES AND | ||
| REIMBURSEMENTS BY CERTAIN PUBLIC ENTITIES. (a) This section | ||
| applies only to the following public entities: | ||
| (1) a political subdivision that imposes a tax; | ||
| (2) a political subdivision or special district that | ||
| is authorized to issue bonds, including revenue bonds; | ||
| (3) a regional mobility authority; | ||
| (4) a transit authority; | ||
| (5) a regional tollway authority; | ||
| (6) a special purpose district, including a municipal | ||
| utility district and a municipal management district; | ||
| (7) a public institution of higher education; | ||
| (8) a community college district; | ||
| (9) a publicly owned utility; and | ||
| (10) a river authority or water supply corporation. | ||
| (b) A public entity's governing body may not spend public | ||
| money or provide other compensation to contract with a person | ||
| required to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305 to communicate | ||
| directly with one or more members of the legislative branch to | ||
| influence legislation pending before the legislature unless the | ||
| expenditure is: | ||
| (1) authorized by a majority vote of the governing | ||
| body in an open meeting of the governing body; and | ||
| (2) voted on by the governing body at the meeting as a | ||
| stand-alone item on the agenda. | ||
| (c) A public entity that contracts with a person required to | ||
| register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305 in accordance with this | ||
| section must publish on the entity's Internet website: | ||
| (1) the amount of money authorized to be spent under | ||
| Subsection (b) to contract with the person; | ||
| (2) the name of the person; | ||
| (3) a copy of the contract; | ||
| (4) the amount of money, if any, spent by the entity | ||
| for membership fees or dues to a nonprofit state association or | ||
| organization of similarly situated entities that contracts with a | ||
| person required to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305; and | ||
| (5) a copy of any current legislative agenda or | ||
| resolution adopted by the entity. | ||
| (d) A person required to register as a lobbyist under | ||
| Chapter 305 that contracts with a public entity in accordance with | ||
| this section may not communicate directly with a member of the | ||
| legislative branch on behalf of the entity regarding legislation | ||
| pending before the legislature that specifically proposes to amend | ||
| Section 26.04(c) or 26.041(c), Tax Code. | ||
| (e) Notwithstanding other law, a public entity may not | ||
| reimburse a person required to register as a lobbyist under Chapter | ||
| 305 for an expenditure the person made for food, beverages, or | ||
| entertainment. | ||
| (f) If a public entity does not comply with the requirements | ||
| of this section, a resident of or person receiving services from the | ||
| entity may file with the Texas Ethics Commission a sworn complaint | ||
| against the entity in accordance with Section 571.122. | ||
| (g) This section does not prevent an officer or employee of | ||
| a public entity from: | ||
| (1) providing information to a member of the | ||
| legislative branch; | ||
| (2) appearing before a legislative committee; or | ||
| (3) communicating directly with one or more members of | ||
| the legislative branch to influence legislation pending before the | ||
| legislature. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 2254.030, Government Code, is repealed. | ||
| SECTION 3. Section 556.0056, Government Code, as added by | ||
| this Act, applies only to a payment or other compensation described | ||
| by that section made under a contract entered into on or after the | ||
| effective date of this Act. A contract entered into before the | ||
| effective date of this Act under which a payment or other | ||
| compensation described by that section is made is governed by the | ||
| law in effect on the date the contract was entered into, and the | ||
| former law is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
