The bill, H.B. No. 1451, amends Section 305.005(l) of the Government Code to enhance the disclosure requirements for lobbyist registration forms. Specifically, it mandates that registrants must include a statement indicating whether they are or were required to register as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938. The new legal language specifies three conditions: (1) if the registrant is currently required to be registered as a foreign agent, (2) if they were required to register at any point in the past 12 months, and (3) if they engaged in activities at the state level in the past 12 months that would necessitate registration as a foreign agent if those activities had occurred at the federal level.

The bill stipulates that the amended registration requirements will only apply to registrations filed on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025. Registrations submitted before this date will continue to be governed by the existing law. This change aims to increase transparency and accountability among lobbyists regarding their foreign affiliations and activities.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 305.005 (Government Code 305)