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.