By Davis of Harris                                    H.B. No. 2748
         77R8885 JMG-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to requiring commissioners and vendors of the Port of
 1-3     Houston Authority of Harris County, Texas, to disclose certain
 1-4     financial relationships.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1. Chapter 117, Acts of the 55th Legislature, Regular
 1-7     Session, 1957, is amended by adding Section 1A to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 1A.  DISCLOSURE OF VENDOR RELATIONSHIP. (a)  The Port
 1-9     Commission of the Port of Houston Authority of Harris County,
1-10     Texas, shall prescribe a conflicts disclosure statement for vendors
1-11     and port commissioners.
1-12           (b)  A port commissioner  shall disclose on the conflicts
1-13     disclosure statement any employment or other business relationship
1-14     the commissioner has with a vendor who participates, as a bidder or
1-15     in another manner, in the purchasing procedures used by the
1-16     Authority, if that relationship results in the commissioner's
1-17     receipt of taxable income from the vendor.  The commissioner must
1-18     include on the statement a description of the nature and extent of
1-19     the relationship.
1-20           (c)  The port commissioner must file the disclosure statement
1-21     with the clerk of the county not later than the 10th day after the
1-22     date the commissioner becomes aware of the vendor's participation,
1-23     by the submission of a bid or in another manner, in the purchasing
1-24     procedures of the Authority.
 2-1           (d)  A vendor described by Subsection (b) shall file a
 2-2     conflicts disclosure statement with the clerk of the county not
 2-3     later than the 10th day after the vendor:
 2-4                 (1)  begins contract discussions or negotiations with
 2-5     the Authority; or
 2-6                 (2)  forwards an application, response to a request for
 2-7     proposal, correspondence, or other writings related to an agreement
 2-8     or potential agreement with the Authority.
 2-9           (e)  A vendor shall file an updated conflicts disclosure
2-10     statement with the clerk of the county:
2-11                 (1)  on September 1 of each year; and
2-12                 (2)  after each event that would make a statement in
2-13     the conflicts disclosure statement incomplete or inaccurate.
2-14           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.