By: Lewis H.B. No. 3178
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to expenditures and the reporting of those expenditures by
lobbyists; providing criminal penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 305.024(a), Government Code, as amended
by Chapters 92 (S.B. 1011) and 206 (H.B. 1508), Acts of the 79th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2005, is reenacted and amended to
read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Section 305.025, a person
registered under Section 305.005 or a person on the registrant's
behalf and with the registrant's consent or ratification may not
offer, confer, or agree to confer:
(1) to an individual described by Section
305.0062(a)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (5):
(A) a loan, including the guarantee or
endorsement of a loan; or
(B) a gift of cash or a negotiable instrument as
described by Section 3.104, Business & Commerce Code; or
(2) to an individual described by Section
305.0062(a)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), or (7):
(A) an expenditure for transportation and
lodging;
(B) an expenditure or series of expenditures for
entertainment that in the aggregate exceed $200 [$500] in a
calendar year;
(C) an expenditure or series of expenditures for
gifts that in the aggregate exceed $100 [$500] in a calendar year;
(D) an expenditure for an award or memento that
exceeds $200 [$500]; [or]
(E) an expenditure described by Section
305.006(b)(1), (2), (3), or (6) unless:
(i) [(A)] the registrant is present at the
event; or
(ii) [(B)] the expenditure is for a gift of
food or beverages required to be reported under Section
305.006(b)(4) in accordance with Section 305.0061(e-1); or
(F) an expenditure described by Section
305.006(b)(2) unless the expenditure does not exceed $50 per meal
and the registrant is present when the food or beverage is served.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act to Section
305.024, Government Code, applies only to an expenditure made on or
after the effective date of this Act. An expenditure made before
the effective date of this Act:
(1) is governed by the law in effect at the time the
expenditure is made; and
(2) is not aggregated with expenditures made on or
after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.