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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to lobbying activities engaged in by state employees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 556.005, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) A state agency may not use appropriated money to employ, |
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as a regular full-time or part-time or contract employee, a person |
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who is: |
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(1) required by Chapter 305 to register as a lobbyist; |
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(2) required by a county, municipality, or special |
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district law to register as a lobbyist, as defined by the county, |
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municipality, or special district law; |
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(3) compensated to communicate with one or more |
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members of a local governmental entity to influence the entity's |
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policy or administrative action on behalf of another person, other |
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than a state agency, by whom the person is compensated or |
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reimbursed; |
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(4) required to register as a lobbyist under 2 U.S.C. |
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Section 1603; or |
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(5) compensated to communicate with one or more |
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members of a foreign governmental entity to influence legislative, |
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executive, or administrative action on behalf of another person by |
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whom the person is compensated or reimbursed. |
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(a-1) Except for an institution of higher education as |
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defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, a state agency may not |
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use any money under its control to employ or contract with an |
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individual who is required by Chapter 305 to register as a lobbyist. |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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conduct occurring on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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Conduct engaged in before the effective date of this Act is governed |
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by the law in effect when the conduct occurred, regardless of when a |
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person was compensated for the conduct, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |