By: Berman, Bohac (Senate Sponsor - Duncan) H.B. No. 2489
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 16, 2007;
  April 17, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on State
  Affairs; May 11, 2007, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 11, 2007, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to registration and reporting requirements for lobbyists.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 305.003(a), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  A person must register with the commission under this
  chapter if the person:
               (1)  makes a total expenditure of an amount determined
  by commission rule but not less than $200 in a calendar quarter, not
  including the person's own travel, food, or lodging expenses or the
  person's own membership dues, on activities described in Section
  305.006(b) to communicate directly with one or more members of the
  legislative or executive branch to influence legislation or
  administrative action; or
               (2)  receives, or is entitled to receive under an
  agreement under which the person is retained or employed,
  compensation or reimbursement, not including reimbursement for the
  person's own travel, food, or lodging expenses or the person's own
  membership dues, of more than an amount determined by commission
  rule but not less than $200 in a calendar quarter from another
  person to communicate directly with a member of the legislative or
  executive branch to influence legislation or administrative
  action.
         SECTION 2.  Section 305.005, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (g) and adding Subsection (g-1) to read as
  follows:
         (g)  Compensation or reimbursement required to be reported
  under Subsection (f)(6) shall be reported in the following
  categories unless reported as an exact amount:
               (1)  $0 if no compensation or reimbursement is
  received;
               (2)  less than $10,000;
               (3)  at least $10,000 but less than $25,000;
               (4)  at least $25,000 but less than $50,000;
               (5)  at least $50,000 but less than $100,000;
               (6)  at least $100,000 but less than $150,000;
               (7)  at least $150,000 but less than $200,000; [and]
               (8)  at least $200,000 but less than $250,000;
               (9)  at least $250,000 but less than $300,000;
               (10)  at least $300,000 but less than $350,000;
               (11)  at least $350,000 but less than $400,000;
               (12)  at least $400,000 but less than $450,000;
               (13)  at least $450,000 but less than $500,000; and
               (14)  $500,000 or more.
         (g-1)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section,
  compensation or reimbursement required to be reported under
  Subsection (f)(6) shall be reported as an exact amount if the
  compensation or reimbursement received exceeds $500,000.
         SECTION 3.  Section 305.005(g), Government Code, as amended
  by this Act, applies only to a registration or registration renewal
  required to be filed under Chapter 305, Government Code, on or after
  September 1, 2007. A registration or registration renewal required
  to be filed under Chapter 305, Government Code, before September 1,
  2007, is governed by the law as it existed immediately before
  September 1, 2007, and that law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
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