| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the disclosure and recording of information on the use |
|
|
of money by certain public entities for lobbying activities; |
|
|
creating a criminal offense. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 556, Government Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Section 556.010 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 556.010. DISCLOSURE AND RECORDING OF INFORMATION ON |
|
|
USE OF MONEY FOR LOBBYING ACTIVITIES. (a) This section applies to |
|
|
a public entity, including a political subdivision or a state |
|
|
agency, that receives public money or revenue from this state |
|
|
through an appropriation or other means. |
|
|
(b) Not later than December 31 of each year, a public entity |
|
|
must prepare and submit to the Texas Ethics Commission and post on |
|
|
the entity's Internet website a written report that discloses: |
|
|
(1) the total amount of money spent by the entity |
|
|
during the preceding year to directly or indirectly influence or |
|
|
attempt to influence the outcome of legislation; |
|
|
(2) the name of each person required to register as a |
|
|
lobbyist under Chapter 305 who was compensated by the entity during |
|
|
the preceding year to directly or indirectly influence or attempt |
|
|
to influence the outcome of legislation; |
|
|
(3) if applicable, the name of any organization for |
|
|
which the person described by Subdivision (2) is employed; and |
|
|
(4) each line item in the entity's budget that |
|
|
indicates the amount of money spent by the entity to compensate a |
|
|
person described by Subdivision (2). |
|
|
(c) Before spending money to directly or indirectly |
|
|
influence or attempt to influence the outcome of legislation, the |
|
|
governing body of a public entity shall vote by line item on whether |
|
|
to spend the money. The results of a vote held in accordance with |
|
|
this subsection must be included in the minutes of the meeting at |
|
|
which the vote was held along with, if applicable: |
|
|
(1) the total amount of money authorized to be spent; |
|
|
(2) the name of each person required to register as a |
|
|
lobbyist under Chapter 305 whom the entity plans to compensate as a |
|
|
result of the vote to directly or indirectly influence or attempt to |
|
|
influence the outcome of legislation; and |
|
|
(3) the name of any organization for which the person |
|
|
described by Subdivision (2) is employed. |
|
|
(d) A person designated by a public entity commits an |
|
|
offense by failing to disclose or record information on the use of |
|
|
money to directly or indirectly influence or attempt to influence |
|
|
the outcome of legislation as required by this section. An offense |
|
|
under this subsection is: |
|
|
(1) for the first offense, a misdemeanor punishable by |
|
|
a fine of not more than $100; |
|
|
(2) for the second offense, a misdemeanor punishable |
|
|
by a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $500; and |
|
|
(3) for the third and any subsequent offense, a Class B |
|
|
misdemeanor. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 556.010, Government Code, as added by |
|
|
this Act, applies to the use of money to directly or indirectly |
|
|
influence or attempt to influence the outcome of legislation on or |
|
|
after the effective date of this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |