(a) Representation before the city.
(1) General rule.
(A) Representation for compensation. A city official or employee shall not represent, for compensation, any person, group, or entity (other than themselves or the city official's or employee's relative) before the city. For purposes of this subsection, "compensation" means money or any other thing of value that is received or is to be received in return for or in connection with such representation.
(B) Representation without compensation. A city official or employee who is a member of a board, commission, or body shall not represent any person, group, or entity before:
(i) that city official's or employee's board, commission, or body;
(ii) city staff having responsibility for making recommendations to, or taking any action on behalf of, that board, commission, or body; or
(iii) a board, commission, or body that has appellate jurisdiction over the board, commission, or body of which the city official or employee is a member, if any issue relates to the official's or employee's duties.
(2) Exceptions. The restrictions in this subsection do not apply to:
(A) A person who is a city official only because that person is an appointed member of a board, commission, or body, may represent for compensation a person, group, or entity before the city so long as the representation is not before the board, commission, or body that the person is a member of.
(B) If the representation is before a board, commission, or body, of which the city official or employee is a member, that is only advisory in nature.
(C) An employee who is a duly designated representative of an association of municipal employees may represent that association before the city if otherwise permissible by state law.
(D) A member of a municipal management district board.
(3) Prestige of office and improper influence. In connection with the representation of private interests before the city, a city official or employee shall not:
(A) assert the prestige of the city official's or employee's position for the purpose of advancing private interest; or
(B) state or imply that the city official or employee can influence city action on any basis other than the merits.
(4) Campaign disclosure.
(A) Applicability.
(1) A person who was paid to participate in, or served as a campaign treasurer in, a sitting councilmember's most recent city council campaign and who represents themselves, their client, their employer, or another third party at a public or private city meeting where at least one councilmember is present must disclose that participation. A "campaign treasurer" is the person designated as a campaign treasurer for a candidate under the Texas Election Code.
(2) A person who represents at a public or private city meeting where at least one councilmember is present the interests of a person or entity that was paid to participate in a sitting councilmember's most recent city council campaign must disclose that participation.
(B) Disclosure requirement. Campaign participation must be disclosed verbally immediately:
(1) after stating his or her name and address for the record during a public city meeting where the representation is taking place; or
(2) at the beginning of a private city meeting.
The most recent campaign includes both the campaign for the general election and the runoff election, if applicable.
(b) Representation in litigation adverse to the city.
(1) Officials and employees (other than board and commission members). A city official or employee, other than a person who is classified as an official only because that person is an appointed member of a board, commission, or body, shall not represent any person, group, or entity (other than themselves or their relative) in any litigation to which the city is a party, if the interests of that person, group, or entity are adverse to the interests of the city. This rule does not prohibit an employee who is a duly designated representative of an association of municipal employees from such representation if otherwise permissible under state law.
(2) Board and commission members. A person who is a city official only because that person is an appointed member of a board, commission, or body shall not represent any person, group, or entity (other than themselves or their relative) in any litigation to which the city is a party, if the interests of that person, group, or entity are adverse to the interests of the city and the matter is substantially related to the official's duties to the city.
(3) Affiliates of officials and employees. Subject to applicable professional ethical standards, the restrictions stated in Subsections (b)(1) and (b)(2) do not apply to representation by a partner or other affiliate of a city official or employee so long as the city official or employee does not participate in any manner whatsoever in the partner's or affiliate's representation.