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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to expenditures and the reporting of those expenditures by |
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lobbyists; providing criminal penalties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 305.024(a), Government Code, as amended |
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by Chapters 92 (S.B. 1011) and 206 (H.B. 1508), Acts of the 79th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2005, is reenacted and amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Section 305.025, a person |
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registered under Section 305.005 or a person on the registrant's |
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behalf and with the registrant's consent or ratification may not |
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offer, confer, or agree to confer: |
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(1) to an individual described by Section |
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305.0062(a)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (5): |
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(A) a loan, including the guarantee or |
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endorsement of a loan; or |
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(B) a gift of cash or a negotiable instrument as |
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described by Section 3.104, Business & Commerce Code; or |
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(2) to an individual described by Section |
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305.0062(a)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), or (7): |
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(A) an expenditure for transportation and |
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lodging; |
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(B) an expenditure or series of expenditures for |
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entertainment that in the aggregate exceed $200 [$500] in a |
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calendar year; |
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(C) an expenditure or series of expenditures for |
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gifts that in the aggregate exceed $100 [$500] in a calendar year; |
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(D) an expenditure for an award or memento that |
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exceeds $200 [$500]; [or] |
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(E) an expenditure described by Section |
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305.006(b)(1), (2), (3), or (6) unless: |
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(i) [(A)] the registrant is present at the |
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event; or |
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(ii) [(B)] the expenditure is for a gift of |
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food or beverages required to be reported under Section |
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305.006(b)(4) in accordance with Section 305.0061(e-1); or |
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(F) an expenditure described by Section |
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305.006(b)(2) unless the expenditure does not exceed $50 per meal |
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and the registrant is present when the food or beverage is served. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act to Section |
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305.024, Government Code, applies only to an expenditure made on or |
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after the effective date of this Act. An expenditure made before |
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the effective date of this Act: |
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(1) is governed by the law in effect at the time the |
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expenditure is made; and |
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(2) is not aggregated with expenditures made on or |
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after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |