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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 school district or a school district |
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employee of public funds for 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. RESTRICTION ON USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS BY SCHOOL |
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DISTRICTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES FOR LOBBYING ACTIVITIES. |
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(a) In this section, "communicates directly with" and "member of |
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the legislative branch" have the meanings assigned by Section |
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305.002. |
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(b) A school district may not spend public funds: |
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(1) to hire an individual required to register as a |
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lobbyist under Chapter 305 for the purpose of lobbying a member of |
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the legislative branch; or |
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(2) to pay a nonprofit state association or |
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organization that: |
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(A) primarily represents political subdivisions; |
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and |
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(B) hires or contracts with an individual |
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required to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305. |
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(c) A school district employee may not use public funds or |
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other district resources to communicate directly with a member of |
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the legislative branch or an employee of a member of the legislative |
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branch to influence legislation. |
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(d) If a school district or a school district employee |
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engages in an activity prohibited by Subsection (b) or (c), a |
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taxpayer or resident of the school district is entitled to |
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appropriate injunctive relief to prevent further activity |
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prohibited by those subsections and further use or expenditure of |
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public funds related to those activities. |
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(e) A taxpayer or resident who prevails in an action under |
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Subsection (d) is entitled to recover from the school district the |
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taxpayer's or resident's reasonable attorney's fees and costs |
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incurred in 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 the use or expenditure of public funds by |
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a school district or a school district employee that is made on or |
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after the effective date of this Act, including the use or |
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expenditure of public funds that is made under a contract entered |
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into on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |