By Madden                                             H.B. No. 1666
       74R4720 ESH-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to lobbying the federal government by state officers and
    1-3  employees.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Title 7, Government Code, is amended by adding
    1-6  Chapter 743 to read as follows:
    1-7             CHAPTER 743.  LOBBYING FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BY
    1-8                     STATE OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES
    1-9        Sec. 743.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
   1-10              (1)  "Administrative action" means rulemaking,
   1-11  licensing, or any other matter that may be the subject of action by
   1-12  a federal agency, including the proposal, consideration, or
   1-13  approval of the matter.
   1-14              (2)  "Federal agency" means any department, commission,
   1-15  board, or office that is in the executive or legislative branch of
   1-16  the federal government.
   1-17              (3)  "State agency" means:
   1-18                    (A)  any department, commission, board, office,
   1-19  or other agency that:
   1-20                          (i)  is in the executive branch of state
   1-21  government;
   1-22                          (ii)  has authority that is not limited to
   1-23  a geographical portion of the state; and
   1-24                          (iii)  was created by the constitution or a
    2-1  statute of this state; or
    2-2                    (B)  an institution of higher education as
    2-3  defined by Section 61.003, Education Code.
    2-4        Sec. 743.002.  TRAVELING OUTSIDE STATE TO LOBBY FEDERAL
    2-5  GOVERNMENT PROHIBITED.  Without the prior written consent of the
    2-6  governor, a state agency may not approve travel expenses for an
    2-7  officer or employee of the state agency to travel outside this
    2-8  state to contact the United States Congress or a federal agency to
    2-9  influence:
   2-10              (1)  federal administrative action; or
   2-11              (2)  federal legislation, including:
   2-12                    (A)  a bill, resolution, amendment, nomination,
   2-13  or other matter pending in either house of congress; or
   2-14                    (B)  any matter that is or may be the subject of
   2-15  action by either house or by a congressional committee, including
   2-16  the introduction, consideration, passage, defeat, approval, or veto
   2-17  of the matter.
   2-18        Sec. 743.003.  EXCEPTION:  OFFICE OF STATE-FEDERAL RELATIONS.
   2-19  Section 743.002 does not apply to the Office of State-Federal
   2-20  Relations.
   2-21        Sec. 743.004.  EXCEPTION:  OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
   2-22  Section 743.002 does not apply to the office of the attorney
   2-23  general if the attorney general is required by statute to represent
   2-24  a state agency in connection with an administrative action.
   2-25        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   2-26        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-27  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    3-1  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    3-2  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    3-3  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.