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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the prohibition on lobbying by certain elected |
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officers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 141.001, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) To be eligible to be a candidate for, or elected or |
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appointed to, a public elective office in this state, a person must: |
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(1) be a United States citizen; |
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(2) be 18 years of age or older on the first day of the |
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term to be filled at the election or on the date of appointment, as |
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applicable; |
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(3) have not been determined by a final judgment of a |
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court exercising probate jurisdiction to be: |
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(A) totally mentally incapacitated; or |
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(B) partially mentally incapacitated without the |
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right to vote; |
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(4) have not been finally convicted of a felony from |
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which the person has not been pardoned or otherwise released from |
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the resulting disabilities; |
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(5) have resided continuously in the state for 12 |
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months and in the territory from which the office is elected for six |
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months immediately preceding the following date: |
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(A) for a candidate whose name is to appear on a |
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general primary election ballot, the date of the regular filing |
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deadline for a candidate's application for a place on the ballot; |
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(B) for an independent candidate, the date of the |
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regular filing deadline for a candidate's application for a place |
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on the ballot; |
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(C) for a write-in candidate, the date of the |
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election at which the candidate's name is written in; |
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(D) for a party nominee who is nominated by any |
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method other than by primary election, the date the nomination is |
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made; and |
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(E) for an appointee to an office, the date the |
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appointment is made; |
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(6) on the date described by Subdivision (5), be |
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registered to vote in the territory from which the office is |
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elected; [and] |
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(7) not be required to register as a lobbyist under |
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Chapter 305, Government Code; and |
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(8) satisfy any other eligibility requirements |
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prescribed by law for the office. |
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(e) Subsection (a)(7) does not apply to: |
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(1) an office of a political subdivision with a |
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population of 150,000 or less, other than the office of presiding |
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officer of the governing body of the political subdivision, |
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provided that the officeholder does not receive a salary or wage for |
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that office; or |
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(2) the office of the presiding officer of the |
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governing body of a political subdivision with a population of |
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50,000 or less, provided that the presiding officer does not |
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receive a salary or wage for that office. |
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(f) For purposes of Subsection (e), a presiding officer or |
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other officeholder is not considered to have received a salary or |
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wage if the officeholder refuses to accept a salary or wage offered |
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or budgeted for that office. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 305, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 305.0031 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 305.0031. REGISTRATION BY CERTAIN ELECTED OFFICERS |
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PROHIBITED. (a) An individual may not register under this chapter |
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if the individual is a: |
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(1) member of Congress; |
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(2) member of the legislature; or |
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(3) statewide officeholder. |
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(b) An individual's registration under this chapter expires |
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on the date the individual takes an office described by Subsection |
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(a). |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 601, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 601.010 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 601.010. REGISTRATION AS LOBBYIST BY ELECTED OFFICER |
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PROHIBITED. (a) An individual may not qualify for a public |
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elective office if the individual is required to register as a |
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lobbyist under Chapter 305. |
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(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to: |
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(1) an office for which the federal or state |
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constitution prescribes exclusive qualification requirements; |
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(2) an office of a political subdivision with a |
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population of 150,000 or less, other than the office of presiding |
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officer of the governing body of the political subdivision, |
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provided that the officeholder does not receive a salary or wage for |
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that office; or |
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(3) the office of the presiding officer of the |
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governing body of a political subdivision with a population of |
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50,000 or less, provided that the presiding officer does not |
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receive a salary or wage for that office. |
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(c) For purposes of Subsection (b), a presiding officer or |
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other officeholder is not considered to have received a salary or |
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wage if the officeholder refuses to accept a salary or wage offered |
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or budgeted for that office. |
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SECTION 4. Section 141.001(a), Election Code, as amended by |
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this Act, and Section 601.010, Government Code, as added by this |
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Act, apply only to the eligibility and qualification requirements |
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for a candidate or officer whose term of office will begin on or |
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after the effective date of this Act. The eligibility and |
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qualification requirements for a candidate or officer whose term of |
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office will begin before the effective date of this Act are governed |
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by the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this |
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Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect January 12, 2027. |