Bill Text: TX HB780 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to lobbying by certain former officers of state government; creating a criminal offense.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-21 - Referred to State Affairs [HB780 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB780-Introduced.html
| 86R975 ATP-F | ||
| By: Davis of Harris | H.B. No. 780 | |
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| relating to lobbying by certain former officers of state | ||
| government; creating a criminal offense. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 572, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 572.062 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 572.062. FORMER LEGISLATOR OR STATEWIDE OFFICEHOLDER: | ||
| LOBBYING RESTRICTED; CRIMINAL OFFENSE. (a) In this section, | ||
| "administrative action," "communicates directly with," | ||
| "legislation," "member of the executive branch," and "member of the | ||
| legislative branch" have the meanings assigned by Section 305.002. | ||
| (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a person who is a | ||
| former member of the legislature or a former holder of an office | ||
| normally filled by statewide election may not engage in activities | ||
| that require registration under Chapter 305 before the first | ||
| anniversary of the first day of the first regular legislative | ||
| session to convene after the date the person ceases to be a member | ||
| of the legislature or statewide officeholder, as applicable. | ||
| (c) Subsection (b) does not apply to a person who: | ||
| (1) communicates directly with a member of the | ||
| legislative or executive branch to influence legislation or | ||
| administrative action; and | ||
| (2) does not receive compensation other than | ||
| reimbursement for actual expenses for a communication described by | ||
| Subdivision (1). | ||
| (d) A person who violates this section commits an offense. | ||
| An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 572.062, Government Code, as added by | ||
| this Act, applies only to a member of the legislature or statewide | ||
| officeholder who ceases to hold office on or after the effective | ||
| date of this Act. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 12, 2021. | ||
