SB 13 — Relating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds for lobbying activities.

1-1 By:AAMiddleton, et al.

S.B.ANo.A13 1-2A (InBILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the SenateA-AFileduse AugustA15,A2025;by a political subdivision of public funds for lobbying activities.

AugustA15,A2025,BE 1-3IT readENACTED firstBY timeTHE andLEGISLATURE referredOF toTHE CommitteeSTATE onOF StateTEXAS: Affairs;

1-4SECTIONA1.AAChapter AugustA15,A2025,556, reportedGovernment favorablyCode, is amended by theadding followingSection vote:556.0056 to read as follows:

1-5Sec. YeasA10, NaysA1;

AugustA15,A2025,A556.0056.AARESTRICTION sentON toUSE printer.)OF 1-6PUBLIC COMMITTEEFUNDS VOTEBY 1-7POLITICAL AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASUBDIVISIONS YeaFOR NayLOBBYING AbsentAACTIVITIES. PNV 1-8 HughesAAAAAAAAAAAAA AXA AAA AAAAAAA AAA 1-9 PaxtonAAAAAAAAAAAAA AXA AAA AAAAAAA AAA 1-10 BettencourtAAAAAAAA AXA AAA AAAAAAA AAA 1-11 BirdwellAAAAAAAAAAA AXA AAA AAAAAAA AAA 1-12 HallAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AXA AAA AAAAAAA AAA 1-13 Hinojosa of NuecesA AXA AAA AAAAAAA AAA 1-14 MiddletonAAAAAAAAAA AXA AAA AAAAAAA AAA 1-15 ParkerAAAAAAAAAAAAA AXA AAA AAAAAAA AAA 1-16 PerryAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AXA AAA AAAAAAA AAA 1-17 SchwertnerAAAAAAAAA AXA AAA AAAAAAA AAA 1-18 ZaffiriniAAAAAAAAAA AAA AXA AAAAAAA AAA 1-19 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-20 AN ACT 1-21 relating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds for 1-22 lobbying activities.

1-23(a) BEA ITpolitical ENACTEDsubdivision BYmay THEnot LEGISLATUREspend OFpublic THEfunds: STATE OF TEXAS:

1-24(1)AAto SECTIONA1.AAChapterhire 556,or Governmentcontract Code,with isan amendedindividual byrequired 1-25to addingregister Sectionas 556.0056a tolobbyist readunder asChapter follows:305 for the purpose of lobbying a member of the legislature;

1-26or Sec.A556.0056.AARESTRICTION(2)AAto ONpay USEa OFnonprofit PUBLICassociation FUNDSor BYorganization 1-27that: POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS FOR LOBBYING ACTIVITIES.

(a)(A)AAprimarily Arepresents political 1-28subdivisions; subdivision may not spend public funds:

1-29and (1)AAto(B)AAhires hire or contractcontracts with an individual required to 1-30 register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305305. for the purpose of lobbying 1-31 a member of the legislature;

or(b) 1-32AASubsection (2)AAto(a) paydoes anot nonprofitapply to an association or organization 1-33that that:solely represents elected sheriffs or individual law enforcement officers.

1-34(c) (A)AASubsection AAprimarily(a) representsdoes politicalnot subdivisions;prohibit:

1-35(1)AAan andofficer 1-36or (B)employee AAhiresof ora contractspolitical withsubdivision anfrom individualproviding 1-37information requiredfor toa registermember asof athe lobbyistlegislature underor ChapterS.B.ANo.A13 305.appearing before a legislative committee;

1-38(2)AAan (b)AASubsectionelected (a)officer doesof nota applypolitical tosubdivision anfrom associationadvocating for or 1-39against organizationor thatotherwise solelyinfluencing representsor electedattempting sheriffsto orinfluence individualthe 1-40outcome lawof enforcementlegislation officers.pending before the legislature while acting as an officer of the political subdivision;

1-41(3)AAan (c)AASubsectionemployee (a)of doesa political subdivision 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 prohibit:require a person to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305;

1-42(4)AAa (1)AAanpolitical subdivision from reimbursing an officer or full-time employee of athe political subdivision 1-43for fromdirect providingtravel informationexpenses forincurred aby member of the legislatureofficer or 1-44employee appearingfor beforeengaging ain legislativean committee;activity described by Subdivision (1), (2), or (3);

1-45or (2)AAan(5)AAa electedfull-time officeremployee of a politicalnonprofit subdivisionassociation from 1-46 advocating for or againstorganization orthat otherwiseprimarily influencingrepresents orpolitical attemptingsubdivisions to 1-47 influence the outcome of legislationthis pendingstate beforefrom: the legislature 1-48 while acting as an officer of the political subdivision;

1-49(A)AAproviding (3)AAanlegislative employeeservices ofrelated a political subdivision from 1-50 advocating for or against or otherwise influencing or attempting to 1-51bill influencetracking, thebill outcomeanalysis, ofand legislationlegislative pendingalerts; before the legislature 1-52 if those actions would not require a person to register as a 1-53 lobbyist under Chapter 305;

1-54(B)AAcommunicating (4)AAadirectly politicalwith subdivisiona frommember reimbursing an 1-55 officer or full-time employee of the politicallegislature subdivisionto forprovide 1-56information directif travel expenses incurred by the officercommunication orwould employeenot forrequire 1-57a engagingperson into anregister activityas describeda bylobbyist Subdivisionunder (1),Chapter (2),305; or (3);

1-58 or 1-59(C)AAtestifying (5)AAafor full-time employee of a nonprofit association or 1-60against organizationlegislation thatbefore primarilythe representslegislature. political subdivisions of 1-61 this state from:

(d) AAIf a political subdivision engages in an activity prohibited by Subsection (a), a taxpayer or resident of the S.B.ANo.A13 2-1political (A)AAprovidingsubdivision legislativeis servicesentitled relatedto appropriate injunctive relief to 2-2prevent billfurther tracking,activity billprohibited analysis,by that subsection and legislativefurther alerts;payment of public funds related to that activity.

2-3(e) (B)AAA AAcommunicatingtaxpayer directlyor withresident awho memberprevails ofin thean 2-4action legislatureunder Subsection (d) is entitled to providerecover informationfrom ifthe political subdivision the communicationtaxpayer woulds notor 2-5resident requires areasonable personattorney’ tos registerfees asand acosts lobbyistincurred underin Chapterbringing 305;the action.

orSECTIONA2.AASection 2-689.002, (C)Local AAtestifyingGovernment forCode, oris againstamended legislationto beforeread 2-7as thefollows: legislature.

2-8Sec. (d)AAIf a political subdivision engages in an activity 2-9 prohibited by Subsection (a), a taxpayer or resident of the 2-10 political subdivision is entitled to appropriate injunctive relief 2-11 to prevent further activity prohibited by that subsection and 2-12 further payment of public funds related to that activity.

2-13A89.002.AASTATE (e)AAAASSOCIATION taxpayerOF orCOUNTIES. resident who prevails in an action under 2-14 Subsection (d) is entitled to recover from the political 2-15 subdivision the taxpayer ’s or residents reasonable attorney’ s fees 2-16 and costs incurred in bringing the action.

2-17(a) SECTIONA2.AASectionExcept 89.002,as Localprovided by Section 556.0056, Government Code, isthe 2-18[The] amendedcommissioners tocourt readmay asspend, follows:in the name of the county, money from the county’s general fund for membership fees and dues of a nonprofit state association of counties if:

2-19(1)AAa Sec.A89.002.AASTATEmajority ASSOCIATIONof OFthe COUNTIES.court votes to approve membership in the association;

(a)(2)AAthe Exceptassociation asexists 2-20for provided by Section 556.0056, Government Code, the [The]betterment 2-21 commissioners court may spend, in the name of thecounty county,government moneyand from 2-22 the county’sbenefit general fund for membership fees and dues of aall 2-23county nonprofitofficials; state association of counties if:

2-24(3)AAthe (1)AAaassociation majorityis ofnot theaffiliated courtwith votesa tolabor approveorganization; 2-25 membership in the association;

2-26and (2)AAthe(4)AA[neither the association existsnor foran employee of the bettermentassociation directly or indirectly influences or attempts to influence the outcome of 2-27any countylegislation governmentpending andbefore the benefitlegislature, except that this subdivision does not prevent a person from providing information for a member of allthe countylegislature officials;or appearing before a legislative committee at the request of the committee or the member of the legislature;

2-28and (3)AAtheS.B.ANo.A13 [(5)]AAneither the association isnor notan affiliatedemployee withof the association directly or indirectly contributes any money, services, or other valuable thing to a laborpolitical 2-29campaign organization;or endorses a candidate or group of candidates for public office.

and(b)AAIf 2-30any (4)AA[neither the association noror anorganization employeesupported ofwholly theor 2-31partly associationby directlypayments orof indirectlytax influencesreceipts orfrom attemptspolitical tosubdivisions 2-32engages influencein thean outcomeactivity ofdescribed anyby legislationSubsection pending(a)(4) before[or the(5)], 2-33a legislature,taxpayer exceptof thata thispolitical subdivision doesthat notpays preventfees aor persondues 2-34to fromthe providingassociation informationor fororganization ais memberentitled ofto theappropriate legislatureinjunctive orrelief 2-35to appearingprevent beforeany afurther legislativeactivity committeedescribed atby theSubsection request(a)(4) of[or the(5)] 2-36 committee or theany memberfurther payments of thefees legislature;or dues.

andSECTIONA3.AASection 2-37556.0056, [(5)]AAneitherGovernment theCode, associationas noradded by this Act, applies only to an employeeexpenditure or payment of thepublic 2-38funds associationby directlya political subdivision that is made on or indirectlyafter contributesthe anyeffective money,date 2-39of services,this Act, including an expenditure or otherpayment valuableof thingpublic tofunds by a political campaignsubdivision orthat 2-40is endorsesmade under a candidatecontract entered into before, on, or groupafter ofthe candidateseffective fordate publicof office.this Act.

2-41A (b)AAIfcontract anyterm associationproviding orfor organizationan supportedexpenditure wholly or 2-42payment partlyprohibited by paymentsSection of556.0056, taxGovernment receiptsCode, fromas politicaladded subdivisions 2-43 engages in an activity described by Subsectionthis (a)(4)Act, [oris (5)],void aon 2-44 taxpayer of a political subdivision that pays fees or dues to the 2-45effective associationdate or organization is entitled to appropriate injunctive 2-46 relief to prevent any further activity described by Subsection 2-47 (a)(4) [or (5)] or any further payments of feesthis orAct. dues.

2-48SECTIONA4.AASection SECTIONA3.AASection89.002, 556.0056,Local Government Code, as addedamended by 2-49 this Act, applies only to anthe expenditurespending or payment of publicmoney funds 2-50 by a politicalcounty subdivisionfrom that is made on or after the effectivecounty’ 2-51s dategeneral offund this Act, including an expenditure or payment of public 2-52 funds by a political subdivision that isoccurs madeon under a contract 2-53 entered into before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.

AThe 2-54spending contractof termmoney providingby fora ancounty expenditurefrom orthe paymentcounty prohibiteds bygeneral 2-55fund Sectionthat 556.0056,occurs Governmentbefore Code,the aseffective addeddate byof this Act,Act is voidgoverned onby 2-56the law as it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act.Act, and that law is continued in effect for S.B.ANo.A13 that purpose.

2-57SECTION SECTIONA4.AASectionA5.AAThis 89.002,Act Localtakes Governmenteffect Code,on as 2-58 amended by this Act, applies only to the spending91st ofday money by a 2-59 county from the county’ s general fund that occurs on or after the 2-60last effectiveday date of thisthe Act.legislative session.

The spending of money by a county from 2-61 the county s general fund that occurs before the effective date of 2-62 this Act is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the 2-63 effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for 2-64 that purpose.

2-65 SECTIONA5.AAThis Act takes effect on the 91st day after the 2-66 last day of the legislative session.