By: Taylor of Collin, et al. S.B. No. 503     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the prohibition on lobbying by certain elected   officers.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 141.001, Election Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read   as follows:          (a)  To be eligible to be a candidate for, or elected or   appointed to, a public elective office in this state, a person must:                (1)  be a United States citizen;                (2)  be 18 years of age or older on the first day of the   term to be filled at the election or on the date of appointment, as   applicable;                (3)  have not been determined by a final judgment of a   court exercising probate jurisdiction to be:                      (A)  totally mentally incapacitated; or                      (B)  partially mentally incapacitated without the   right to vote;                (4)  have not been finally convicted of a felony from   which the person has not been pardoned or otherwise released from   the resulting disabilities;                (5)  have resided continuously in the state for 12   months and in the territory from which the office is elected for six   months immediately preceding the following date:                      (A)  for a candidate whose name is to appear on a   general primary election ballot, the date of the regular filing   deadline for a candidate's application for a place on the ballot;                      (B)  for an independent candidate, the date of the   regular filing deadline for a candidate's application for a place   on the ballot;                      (C)  for a write-in candidate, the date of the   election at which the candidate's name is written in;                      (D)  for a party nominee who is nominated by any   method other than by primary election, the date the nomination is   made; and                      (E)  for an appointee to an office, the date the   appointment is made;                (6)  on the date described by Subdivision (5), be   registered to vote in the territory from which the office is   elected; [and]                (7)  not be required to be registered as a lobbyist   under Chapter 305, Government Code; and                (8)  satisfy any other eligibility requirements   prescribed by law for the office.          (e)  Except as restricted by Section 7.103(c), Education   Code, if applicable, Subsection (a)(7) does not apply to:                (1)  an office of a political subdivision with a   population of 150,000 or less, other than the office of presiding   officer of the governing body of the political subdivision,   provided that the officeholder does not receive a salary or wage for   that office; or                (2)  the office of the presiding officer of the   governing body of a political subdivision with a population of   50,000 or less, provided that the presiding officer does not   receive a salary or wage for that office.          (f)  For purposes of Subsection (e), a presiding officer or   other officeholder is not considered to have received a salary or   wage if the officeholder refuses to accept a salary or wage offered   or budgeted for that office.          SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 305, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 305.0031 to read as follows:          Sec. 305.0031.  CERTAIN ELECTED OFFICERS MAY NOT REGISTER.   (a)  A member of Congress, a member of the legislature, or a holder   of a statewide office may not register under this chapter.          (b)  A registration under this chapter expires on the date a   person takes office as a member of Congress, a member of the   legislature, or a holder of a statewide office.          SECTION 3.  Chapter 601, Government Code, is amended by   adding Section 601.010 to read as follows:          Sec. 601.010.  ELECTED OFFICER MAY NOT BE REGISTERED   LOBBYIST. (a)  A person may not qualify for a public elective   office if the person is required to be registered as a lobbyist   under Chapter 305.          (b)  Except as restricted by Section 7.103(c), Education   Code, if applicable, Subsection (a) does not apply to:                (1)  an office for which the federal or state   constitution prescribes exclusive qualification requirements;                (2)  an office of a political subdivision with a   population of 150,000 or less, other than the office of presiding   officer of the governing body of the political subdivision,   provided that the officeholder does not receive a salary or wage for   that office; or                (3)  the office of the presiding officer of the   governing body of a political subdivision with a population of   50,000 or less, provided that the presiding officer does not   receive a salary or wage for that office.          (c)  For purposes of Subsection (b), a presiding officer or   other officeholder is not considered to have received a salary or   wage if the officeholder refuses to accept a salary or wage offered   or budgeted for that office.          SECTION 4.  Section 141.001(a), Election Code, as amended by   this Act, and Section 601.010, Government Code, as added by this   Act, apply only to the eligibility and qualification requirements   for a candidate or officer whose term of office will begin on or   after the effective date of this Act.  The eligibility and   qualification requirements for a candidate or officer whose term of   office will begin before the effective date of this Act are governed   by the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this   Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect January 8, 2019.