By Raymond                                            H.B. No. 2187
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to prohibiting former legislators, legislative employees,
    1-3  statewide elected officials, and officers of executive state
    1-4  agencies from engaging in lobbying activities; providing a criminal
    1-5  penalty.
    1-6        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-7        SECTION 1.  Chapter 421, Acts of the 63rd Legislature,
    1-8  Regular Session, 1973 (Article 6252-9b, Vernon's Texas Civil
    1-9  Statutes), is amended by adding Section 7D to read as follows:
   1-10        Sec. 7D.  REPRESENTATION BY FORMER LEGISLATOR OR LEGISLATIVE
   1-11  EMPLOYEE PROHIBITED.  (a)  For the first two years after the date a
   1-12  member of the legislature ceases to be a member, the former member
   1-13  may not engage in activities that require registration under
   1-14  Chapter 305, Government Code, and its subsequent amendments.
   1-15        (b)  For the first year after the date of an employee of a
   1-16  member of the legislature or of a legislative agency ceases to be
   1-17  employed by that member or agency, the former employee may not
   1-18  engage in activities that require registration under Chapter 305,
   1-19  Government Code, and its subsequent amendments.
   1-20        (c)  A person commits an offense if the person intentionally
   1-21  or knowingly violates Subsection (a) of this section.  An offense
   1-22  under this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor.
   1-23        (d)  This section applies only to a person who:
    2-1              (1)  becomes a member of legislature for the first time
    2-2  on or after January 1, 1994, or
    2-3              (2)  is employed by a member of the legislature or a
    2-4  legislative agency for the first time on or after January 1, 1994.
    2-5        SECTION 2.  Section 7A, Chapter 421, Acts of the 63rd
    2-6  Legislature, Regular Session, 1973 (Article 6252-9b, Vernon's Texas
    2-7  Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as
    2-8  follows:
    2-9        (g)  An officer of a state agency or a statewide elected
   2-10  official may not engage in activities that require registration
   2-11  under Chapter 305, Government Code, and its subsequent amendments
   2-12  for the first two years after the date the officer ceases to be an
   2-13  officer.  This subsection applies only to a person who becomes a
   2-14  state officer for the first time on or after January 1, 1994.
   2-15        SECTION 3.  The heading to Section 7A, Chapter 421, Acts of
   2-16  the 63rd Legislature, Regular Session, 1973 (Article 6252-9b,
   2-17  Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
   2-18        Sec. 7A.  REPRESENTATION BY FORMER OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OF
   2-19  <REGULATORY> AGENCY PROHIBITED
   2-20        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-21  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-22  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-23  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-24  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   2-25  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    3-1  passage, and it is so enacted.