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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the reimbursement by certain elected officers of state |
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money used to pay the out-of-state travel and security costs of |
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those officers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 5, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 577 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 577. REIMBURSEMENT FOR STATE-FUNDED TRAVEL AND SECURITY |
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Sec. 577.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Texas Ethics Commission. |
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(2) "Elected officer" means a member of the |
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legislature or the holder of an office of state government that is |
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voted on statewide, including a person appointed to fill a vacancy |
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in such an office. The term does not include the governor. |
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Sec. 577.002. DISCLOSURE OF STATE-FUNDED TRAVEL OUTSIDE |
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THIS STATE. (a) An elected officer who uses state money for |
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transportation or security for travel outside this state shall file |
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a disclosure with the commission. A disclosure filed under this |
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chapter must be filed electronically. |
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(b) The disclosure must include: |
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(1) the dates on which the travel occurred; |
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(2) the locations where the travel occurred; |
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(3) the cost of the travel; |
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(4) the purpose of the travel; and |
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(5) the use to which the state-funded transportation |
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or security personnel was put. |
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Sec. 577.003. DEADLINE FOR FILING DISCLOSURE. An elected |
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officer shall file a disclosure under this chapter not later than |
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July 15 for travel ending on or after January 1 and on or before June |
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30. An elected officer shall file the disclosure not later than |
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January 15 for travel ending on or after July 1 and on or before |
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December 31 of the previous year. |
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Sec. 577.004. COMMISSION REVIEW; REIMBURSEMENT. (a) The |
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commission shall review each disclosure filed under this chapter to |
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determine whether the state-funded transportation or security |
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described by the disclosure was used for official state business. |
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The commission must complete the review not later than the 90th day |
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after the date the disclosure is filed. |
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(b) Not later than the 10th day after the date a review is |
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completed under Subsection (a), the commission shall send written |
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notice to the elected officer stating whether the commission |
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determined that the state-funded transportation or security was |
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used for official state business. |
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(c) An elected officer receiving notice under Subsection |
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(b) that the state-funded transportation or security was not used |
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for official state business shall reimburse the state for the cost |
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of the travel and security, plus interest calculated at a rate equal |
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to inflation. |
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SECTION 2. Section 571.061(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The commission shall administer and enforce: |
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(1) Chapters 302, 303, 305, 572, 577, and 2004; |
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(2) Subchapter C, Chapter 159, Local Government Code, |
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in connection with a county judicial officer, as defined by Section |
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159.051, Local Government Code, who elects to file a financial |
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statement with the commission; |
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(3) Title 15, Election Code; and |
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(4) Sections 2152.064 and 2155.003. |
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SECTION 3. Section 571.091(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The commission shall prepare a written opinion |
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answering the request of a person subject to any of the following |
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laws for an opinion about the application of any of these laws to |
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the person in regard to a specified existing or hypothetical |
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factual situation: |
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(1) Chapter 302; |
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(2) Chapter 303; |
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(3) Chapter 305; |
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(4) Chapter 2004; |
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(5) Chapter 572; |
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(6) Subchapter C, Chapter 159, Local Government Code, |
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as provided by Section 571.061(a)(2); |
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(7) Title 15, Election Code; |
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(8) Chapter 36, Penal Code; |
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(9) Chapter 39, Penal Code; |
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(10) Section 2152.064; [or] |
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(11) Section 2155.003; or |
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(12) Chapter 577. |
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SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to travel beginning on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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Travel beginning before the effective date of this Act is governed |
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by the law in effect on the date the travel began, and the former law |
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is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |