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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of tax proceeds for lobbying activities or |
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lobbyists. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 556, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 556.0056 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 556.0056. LOBBYING ACTIVITIES. (a) This section |
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applies to a governmental entity, including a political |
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subdivision, wholly or partly funded by tax proceeds. |
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(b) A governmental entity may not spend tax proceeds to |
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directly or indirectly influence or attempt to influence the |
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outcome of any legislation pending before the legislature. This |
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subsection does not prevent: |
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(1) an officer or employee of a governmental entity |
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from providing information for a member of the legislature or |
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appearing before a legislative committee at the request of the |
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committee or the member of the legislature, or with regard to the |
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entity's budgetary needs or the effect of pending legislation on |
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the entity; or |
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(2) an elected officer of a governmental entity from |
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advocating for or against or otherwise influencing or attempting to |
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influence the outcome of legislation pending before the legislature |
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while acting as an officer of the governmental entity. |
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(c) A governmental entity may not employ a person required |
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to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305 to engage in activities |
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on behalf of the governmental entity for which registration is |
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required under that chapter. |
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(d) If a governmental entity engages in an activity |
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prohibited by Subsection (b) or (c), a taxpayer of the entity or the |
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taxing authority that provides tax proceeds to the entity is |
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entitled to appropriate injunctive relief to prevent any further |
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activity prohibited by Subsection (b) or (c). |
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(e) A taxpayer who prevails in an action under Subsection |
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(d) is entitled to recover from the governmental entity the |
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taxpayer's reasonable attorney's fees and costs incurred in |
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bringing the action. |
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SECTION 2. Section 556.0056, Government Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies only to an expenditure or payment of tax proceeds |
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by a governmental entity that is made on or after September 1, 2017. |
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An expenditure or payment of tax proceeds by a governmental entity |
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that is made before September 1, 2017, is governed by the law in |
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effect on the date the expenditure or payment is made, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |