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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use by a county or municipality of public money for |
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lobbying activities. |
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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. RESTRICTIONS ON LOBBYING ACTIVITIES BY |
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COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES. (a) The governing body of a county or |
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municipality may not spend public money or provide compensation in |
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any manner to directly or indirectly influence or attempt to |
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influence the outcome of any legislation pending before the |
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legislature. This subsection does not prevent: |
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(1) an officer or employee of a county or municipality |
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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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member of the legislature or the committee; |
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(2) an elected officer of a county or municipality |
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from advocating for or against or otherwise influencing or |
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attempting to influence the outcome of legislation pending before |
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the legislature while acting as an officer of the county or |
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municipality; or |
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(3) an employee of a county or municipality 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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if those actions would not require a person to register as a |
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lobbyist under Chapter 305. |
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(b) If a county or municipality engages in an activity |
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prohibited by Subsection (a), a taxpayer or resident of the county |
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or municipality is entitled to appropriate injunctive relief to |
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prevent any further activity prohibited by that subsection. |
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(c) A taxpayer or resident who prevails in an action under |
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Subsection (b) is entitled to recover from the county or |
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municipality, as applicable, the taxpayer's or resident's |
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reasonable attorney's fees and costs incurred in bringing the |
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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 money or |
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provision of some other compensation by a county or municipality |
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that is made on or after September 1, 2021. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |