86R8604 BRG-D
By: Creighton S.B. No. 2329
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authorization of expenditures for lobbying
activities by certain political subdivisions and other public
entities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 556, Government Code, is amended by
adding Section 556.0056 to read as follows:
Sec. 556.0056. USE OF PUBLIC MONEY FOR LOBBYING ACTIVITIES.
(a) In this section:
(1) "Political subdivision" means:
(A) an appraisal district;
(B) a regional mobility authority;
(C) a transit authority;
(D) a regional tollway authority;
(E) a community college district;
(F) a river authority;
(G) any other political subdivision that imposes
a tax;
(H) any other political subdivision or special
district that has the authority to issue bonds, including revenue
bonds; or
(I) any other special purpose district.
(2) "Public entity" means:
(A) an institution of higher education, as
defined by Section 61.003, Education Code; or
(B) a publicly owned utility.
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a political
subdivision or a public entity may not spend public money to
directly or indirectly influence or attempt to influence the
outcome of any legislation pending before the legislature.
(c) A political subdivision or a public entity may spend
public money to directly or indirectly influence or attempt to
influence the outcome of any legislation pending before the
legislature only if the expenditure is authorized by a majority
vote of the governing body of the political subdivision or public
entity in an open meeting of the governing body. The expenditure
must be voted on by the governing body as a stand-alone item on the
agenda at the meeting.
(d) If a political subdivision or public entity does not
comply with the requirements of this section, an interested party
is entitled to appropriate injunctive relief to prevent any further
activity in violation of this section. For purposes of this
subsection, "interested party" means a person who:
(1) is a taxpayer of a political subdivision or public
entity; or
(2) is served by or receives services from a political
subdivision or public entity.
SECTION 2. Section 556.0056, Government Code, as added by
this Act, applies only to an expenditure or payment of public money
by a political subdivision or public entity that is made on or after
September 1, 2019. An expenditure or payment of public money by a
political subdivision or public entity that is made before
September 1, 2019, is governed by the law in effect on the date the
expenditure or payment is made, and the former law is continued in
effect for that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.