IMF H.B. 1448 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


STATE AFFAIRS
H.B. 1448
By: Hunter
4-20-97
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND 

Currently, persons representing another person before a state agency for
compensation are required to register their name and address, and the name
and address of the person they are representing to the state agency.  The
state agency is then responsible for sending those reports to the
Secretary of State. 

Lobbyists are also required to submit similar reports that are forwarded
to the Texas Ethics Commission. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 1448 would require state agencies to send the report
required of all persons representing a person for compensation before a
state agency, to the Texas Ethics Commission instead of the Secretary of
State.  This would make the Texas Ethics Commission the central state
agency for dealing with these matters. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or
institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 2004.004 (b) and (c) of the Government Code by
requiring a state agency to file a report of a person appearing before
that agency for compensation with the Texas Ethics Commission instead of
the Secretary of State.  The SECTION also requires the Texas Ethics
Commission to index and file these reports instead of the Secretary of
State. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 572.030 (b) with a conforming change.

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 572.061 (a) with a conforming change.

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 571.091 (a) with a conforming change.

SECTION 5.  Effective date:  September 1, 1997.

SECTION 6.  Requires the Secretary of State to transfer all files related
to this Act to the Texas Ethics Commission by September 15, 1997. 

SECTION 7.  Emergency clause.