By Krusee                                               H.B. No. 97

      75R833 ESH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to lobbying by former legislators; providing a criminal

 1-3     penalty.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 572, Government Code, is

 1-6     amended by adding Section 572.059 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 572.059.  LOBBYING BY FORMER LEGISLATOR; CRIMINAL

 1-8     OFFENSE.  (a)  A former member of the legislature may not, before

 1-9     the second anniversary of the date the person ceases to be a

1-10     member, engage in activities that require registration under

1-11     Chapter 305.

1-12           (b)  A person commits an offense if the person violates this

1-13     section.  An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

1-14           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-15           SECTION 3.  Section 572.059, Government Code, as added by

1-16     this Act, applies only to a member of the legislature who ceases to

1-17     be a member on or after the effective date of this Act.

1-18           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-19     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-20     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-21     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-22     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.