78R1297 DLF-D

By:  Rodriguez                                                    H.B. No. 711



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certain persons appointed as officers or employees of 
the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; imposing a criminal 
penalty.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 5.060, Water Code, is amended to read as 
follows:        
	Sec. 5.060. LOBBYIST PROHIBITION; RESTRICTIONS ON EMPLOYMENT 
FOLLOWING COMMISSION SERVICE. (a)  A person may not be a member of 
the commission or act as executive director of or general counsel to 
the commission if, during the person's appointment or for any 
portion of the two years before the date of the appointment, the 
person is required to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305, 
Government Code, because of the person's activities for 
compensation on behalf of:
		(1)  a profession related to the operation of the 
commission; or
		(2)  a person that receives funds from the commission.                 
	(b)  A person who was a member of the commission or acted as 
the executive director of or general counsel to the commission may 
not, before the third anniversary of the date the person's service 
with the commission terminates, perform activities for 
compensation that would require the person to register as a 
lobbyist under Chapter 305, Government Code, on behalf of:
		(1)  a profession related to the operation of the 
commission; or     
		(2)  a person that receives funds from the commission.                 
	(c)  A person commits an offense if the person violates this 
section.  An offense under this subsection is a Class C misdemeanor.
	SECTION 2.  This Act applies only to the appointment of a 
member to, the employment of a person with, or the termination of a 
person's service from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality 
on or after September 1, 2003.  The appointment of a member to, the 
employment of a person with, or the termination of a person's 
service from the commission before the effective date of this Act is 
governed by the law as it existed immediately before September 1, 
2003, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.