PAAT EVENTS

LOBBY 101 Webinar

Wednesday, October 1, 10am

Via Webinar (link will be sent before the event)

Free for PAAT Members - $100 for Non-Members

As we head into the interim and election season, we’ve had considerable interest in a refresher on the Texas lobbying and advocacy rules and laws. Our Lobby 101 Webinar is a practical program designed to sharpen your understanding of the state’s legislative and regulatory advocacy landscape. Whether you’re new to the profession or a seasoned government affairs professional, this session will reinforce the fundamentals while also highlighting recent updates to ethics laws and rules that every advocate should know. Submit specific questions you'd like to have covered here.

💫 NEW: The Texas Ethics Commission is conducting a comprehensive review of its rules as required by the Texas Administrative Procedure Act. The Commission is currently reviewing Chapter 34, which governs lobbyists, to determine whether the rules should be readopted, updated, or repealed. We’re honored to welcome Texas Ethics Commission Executive Director James Tinley to our Lobby 101 Webinar to discuss the review process and what it means for our profession. Learn more about the TEC Review Plan here.

Note that the webinar will include a discussion of HB 119, passed by the 89th Legislature, and its impact on the Texas lobby law. Don’t miss J.R. Johnson’s recent write-up on this issue.



Panelists:

J.R. Johnson: Johnson is a member of Butler Snow's Specialized Advocacy practice group. He has over 15 years of private and public sector experience in commercial litigation and government affairs, including his most recent role as Executive Director and General Counsel of the Texas Ethics Commission. More.

Ed Shack: Shack advises officeholders, candidates, political committees, lobbyists, attorneys, corporations, and the media regarding the conduct of state officials, campaign finance, lobbying, and election laws. He has appeared as an expert witness in criminal trials and before grand juries and legislative committees.

James Tinley: Tinley was named Executive Director of the Texas Ethics Commission in July 2025. He joined the Commission in March 2014 and has held several key legal roles within the agency.

💫   Thank you to Vistra for joining us as an Event Partner Sponsor this year. We appreciate their commitment to integrity and professionalism in government advocacy. View all PAAT sponsors.