The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is ending its practice of giving ringside seats to boxing matches and other combative sporting events to lawmakers and agency employees.
The San Antonio Express-News reports the practice is being halted after ethics concerns were raised at a Senate Finance Committee hearing.
Lobbyists are normally required to report gifts to the Texas Ethics Commission when they are given tickets to sporting events, but the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is under no such obligation.
William Kuntz, the agency's executive director, sent a memo restricting who could be allowed to sit in ringside seats after Republican Sen. Larry Taylor of Friendswood brought up the issue at a Senate Finance panel hearing in February.
Taylor said he was informed of the issue by various promoters who were unhappy about providing front-row seats to agency guests.
