By Nelson                                              S.B. No. 104

      75R2039 CAG-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to prohibiting former members of the legislature from

 1-3     engaging in lobbying activities; providing a criminal 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.  PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES OF FORMER LEGISLATORS.

 1-8     (a)  A former member of the legislature may not engage in

 1-9     activities that require registration under Chapter 305 before the

1-10     second anniversary of the date the former member ceases to be a

1-11     member.

1-12           (b)  A former member of the legislature commits an offense if

1-13     the former member intentionally or knowingly violates Subsection

1-14     (a).  An offense under this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor.

1-15           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 31, 1999, and

1-16     applies only to a member of the legislature who ceases to be a

1-17     member on or after that date.

1-18           SECTION 3.  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.