Relating to competitive requirements for a procurement by a municipality for lobbying, government relations, or similar services, the official text

H.B. No. 223

AN ACT

relating to competitive requirements for a procurement by a

municipality for lobbying, government relations, or similar

services.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 252.022(a), Local Government Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(a) This chapter does not apply to an expenditure for:

(1) a procurement made because of a public calamity

that requires the immediate appropriation of money to relieve the

necessity of the municipality's residents or to preserve the

property of the municipality;

(2) a procurement necessary to preserve or protect the

public health or safety of the municipality's residents;

(3) a procurement necessary because of unforeseen

damage to public machinery, equipment, or other property;

(4) a procurement for personal, professional, or

planning services, other than lobbying, government relations, or

similar services intended to directly or indirectly influence state

or federal lawmakers on behalf of a municipality;

(5) a procurement for work that is performed and paid

for by the day as the work progresses;

(6) a purchase of land or a right-of-way;

(7) a procurement of items that are available from

only one source, including:

(A) items that are available from only one source

because of patents, copyrights, secret processes, or natural

monopolies;

(B) films, manuscripts, or books;

(C) gas, water, and other utility services;

(D) captive replacement parts or components for

equipment;

(E) books, papers, and other library materials

for a public library that are available only from the persons

holding exclusive distribution rights to the materials; and

(F) management services provided by a nonprofit

organization to a municipal museum, park, zoo, or other facility to

which the organization has provided significant financial or other

benefits;

(8) a purchase of rare books, papers, and other

library materials for a public library;

(9) paving drainage, street widening, and other public

improvements, or related matters, if at least one-third of the cost

is to be paid by or through special assessments levied on property

that will benefit from the improvements;

(10) a public improvement project, already in

progress, authorized by the voters of the municipality, for which

there is a deficiency of funds for completing the project in

accordance with the plans and purposes authorized by the voters;

(11) a payment under a contract by which a developer

participates in the construction of a public improvement as

provided by Subchapter C, Chapter 212;

(12) personal property sold:

(A) at an auction by a state licensed auctioneer;

(B) at a going out of business sale held in

compliance with Subchapter F, Chapter 17, Business & Commerce Code;

(C) by a political subdivision of this state, a

state agency of this state, or an entity of the federal government;

or

(D) under an interlocal contract for cooperative

purchasing administered by a regional planning commission

established under Chapter 391;

(13) services performed by blind or severely disabled

persons;

(14) goods purchased by a municipality for subsequent

retail sale by the municipality;

(15) electricity; or

(16) advertising, other than legal notices.

SECTION 2. Section 252.022(a), Local Government Code, as

amended by this Act, applies only to a contract for procurement made

on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

______________________________
______________________________

President of the Senate
Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 223 was passed by the House on May 7,

2025, by the following vote: Yeas 92, Nays 56, 1 present, not

voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.

No. 223 on May 30, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 103, Nays 28,

2 present, not voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 223 was passed by the Senate, with

amendments, on May 28, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 19, Nays

12.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

APPROVED: __________________

Date

__________________

Governor