By Duncan S.B. No. 457
75R4934 ESH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the representation of a person before an executive
1-3 state agency by a member of the legislature.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 572.052(a), Government Code, is amended
1-6 to read as follows:
1-7 (a) A member of the legislature may not, for compensation,
1-8 represent another person before a state agency in the executive
1-9 branch of state government unless[:]
1-10 [(1) the representation is made in a proceeding that
1-11 is adversary in nature or in another public hearing that is a
1-12 matter of record; or]
1-13 [(2)] the representation involves the filing of
1-14 documents, contacts with the agency for informational purposes, or
1-15 other relations, that involve only ministerial acts on the part of
1-16 the commission, agency, board, department, or officer.
1-17 SECTION 2. Section 572.021, Government Code, is amended to
1-18 read as follows:
1-19 Sec. 572.021. FINANCIAL STATEMENT REQUIRED. A state
1-20 officer, a partisan or independent candidate for an office as an
1-21 elected officer, and a party chairman shall file with the
1-22 commission a verified financial statement complying with Sections
1-23 572.022 through 572.024 [572.025].
1-24 SECTION 3. Section 572.025, Government Code, is repealed.
2-1 SECTION 4. This Act applies only to representation before an
2-2 executive state agency for which a member of the legislature is
2-3 hired on or after the effective date of this Act. Representation
2-4 for which a member of the legislature was hired before that date is
2-5 governed by the law in effect when the member of the legislature
2-6 was hired, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
2-7 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
2-8 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
2-9 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-10 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-11 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-12 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.