89R12466 CJD-D
By: Nichols S.B. No. 1420
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the use by a county, municipality, or school district of
public money for lobbying activities.
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. RESTRICTIONS ON LOBBYING ACTIVITIES BY
COUNTIES, MUNICIPALITIES, AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS. (a) The governing
body of a county, municipality, or school district may not spend
public money or provide compensation in any manner to directly or
indirectly influence or attempt to influence the outcome of any
legislation pending before the legislature. This subsection does
not prevent:
(1) an officer or employee of a county, municipality,
or school district from providing information for a member of the
legislature or appearing before a legislative committee;
(2) an elected officer of a county, municipality, or
school district from advocating for or against or otherwise
influencing or attempting to influence the outcome of legislation
pending before the legislature, including testifying before a
legislative committee;
(3) an employee of a county, municipality, or school
district from advocating for or against or otherwise influencing or
attempting to influence the outcome of legislation pending before
the legislature if those actions would not require a person to
register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305;
(4) a county, municipality, or school district from
reimbursing an officer or employee of the county, municipality, or
school district for direct travel expenses incurred by the officer
or employee for engaging in an activity authorized by Subdivision
(1), (2), or (3);
(5) a county, municipality, or school district from
paying fees or dues or providing compensation in any manner to a
nonprofit state association or organization that advocates for or
against or otherwise influences or attempts to influence the
outcome of legislation pending before the legislature on the
collective behalf of counties, municipalities, or school districts
in this state, unless the association or organization pays or
otherwise compensates an individual required to register as a
lobbyist under Chapter 305 for a purpose described by this
subdivision, not including a full-time employee of the association
or organization; or
(6) a county, municipality, or school district from
spending public money or providing compensation to an individual
required to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305 for the purpose
of influencing or attempting to influence the outcome of
legislation pending before the legislature related to the military,
military service members, or military veterans.
(b) A county, municipality, or school district may not
establish a nonprofit association or organization that advocates
for or against or otherwise influences or attempts to influence the
outcome of legislation pending before the legislature on the behalf
of a county, municipality, or school district if the association or
organization takes an action described by Subsection (a)(5).
(c) If a county, municipality, or school district engages in
an activity prohibited by Subsection (a) or (b), a taxpayer or
resident of the county, municipality, or school district is
entitled to appropriate injunctive relief to prevent any further
activity prohibited by those subsections.
(d) A taxpayer or resident who prevails in an action under
Subsection (c) is entitled to recover from the county,
municipality, or school district the taxpayer's or resident's
reasonable attorney's fees and costs incurred in bringing the
action.
SECTION 2. Section 556.0056, Government Code, as added by
this Act, applies only to:
(1) an expenditure or payment of money or provision of
some other compensation by a county, municipality, or school
district that is made on or after September 1, 2025; and
(2) the establishment of a nonprofit association or
organization that takes an action described by Subsection (a)(5) of
that section on or after September 1, 2025.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.