Honorable Sarah Davis, Chair, House Committee on General Investigating & Ethics
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB504 by Geren (relating to the use of nonpublic information by former members of the legislature; creating an offense.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
The provisions of the bill addressed by this analysis would amend the Penal Code as it relates to the use of nonpublic information by former members of the legislature. Under the provisions of the bill, engaging in activities that require registration as a lobbyist by certain members of the legislature within a certain period of time following the legislative cycle in which the former member of the legislature last served would be punishable as a Class A misdemeanor.
A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by a fine of not more than $4,000, confinement in a county jail for a term not to exceed one year, or both.
This analysis assumes the provisions of the bill would not result in a significant impact on the demand for state correctional resources.