78R4838 DLF-D

By:  Chisum                                                       H.B. No. 1179



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to use of certain public funds to influence legislation; 
imposing a criminal penalty.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 305.026, Government Code, is amended by 
amending Subsections (c) and (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read 
as follows:
	(c)  Subsection (a) [This section] does not apply to a person 
who is registered under this chapter, to a person who holds an 
elective or appointive public office, or to a full-time employee of 
the affected political subdivision.
	(d)  Subsection (a) [This section] does not prohibit a 
political subdivision from making an expenditure of public funds, 
other than an expenditure of money available from taxes imposed by 
the political subdivision, to a statewide association with a 
minimum membership of at least 25 percent of eligible political 
subdivisions that contract with or employ a registrant for the 
purpose of communicating directly with a member of the legislative 
branch to influence legislation.
	(e)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a political subdivision 
may not use money available from taxes imposed by the political 
subdivision to compensate or reimburse the expenses of any person 
for the purpose of communicating directly with a member of the 
legislative branch to influence legislation.
	SECTION 2.  This Act applies to the use of money to 
compensate or reimburse the expenses of a person on or after 
September 1, 2003, except that it does not apply to the compensation 
or reimbursement of expenses of a person under a contract entered 
into before September 1, 2003.  The compensation or reimbursement 
of expenses of a person under a contract entered into before 
September 1, 2003, 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.