Enrolled Bill Summary

            House Bill 1168 amends the Government Code to prohibit certain conflicts of interest among registered lobbyists who communicate with a member of the legislative or executive branch to influence legislation or administrative action. The bill prohibits a registrant from representing opposing parties on the same legislation or administrative action. It prohibits representing someone if that representation involves a substantially related matter in which the person's interests are adverse to the interests of another client, the registrant's employer or employing concern, or another client of the registrant's partner or associate. It prohibits representation that portends to be adversely limited by the registrant's, employer's, concern's, partner's, or associate's own interests or responsibilities to another client or a third person. An exception applies in the above cases if the registrant reasonably believes that each client's interests will not be materially affected, the registrant provides written notice to each affected or potentially affected client, and the registrant informs the Texas Ethics Commission of that notice. The bill establishes when a registrant must withdraw from one or more representations, applies to the employer or employing concern the same prohibitions that apply to the registrant, and authorizes the commission to receive complaints and to impose a penalty and rescind registration for violation of a prohibition. Other provisions make a knowing violation a Class B misdemeanor offense.