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By:  Madla                                                        S.B. No. 1661
	(In the Senate - Filed March 14, 2003; March 20, 2003, read 
first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental 
Relations; April 29, 2003, reported adversely, with favorable 
Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 4, Nays 0; 
April 29, 2003, sent to printer.)


COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1661                                   By:  Madla


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to communications between board members, advisory 
committee members, and applicants for affordable housing funds.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 2306.1113, Government Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
	Sec. 2306.1113.  EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS.  (a)  During the 
period beginning on the date a project application is filed and 
ending on the date the board makes a final decision with respect to 
any approval of that application, a member of the board [or a member 
of the advisory committee established under Section 2306.1112] may 
not communicate orally about the application with the following 
persons:
		(1)  the applicant or a related party, as defined by 
state law, including board rules, and federal law; and
		(2)  any person who is:                                                       
			(A)  active in the construction, rehabilitation, 
ownership, or control of the proposed project, including:
				(i)  a general partner or contractor; and                                   
				(ii)  a principal or affiliate of a general 
partner or contractor; or     
			(B)  employed as a lobbyist by the applicant or a 
related party.           
	(b)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a board member [or 
advisory committee member] may communicate with a person described 
by that subsection at any board meeting or public hearing held with 
respect to the application or through written communication, 
excluding electronic mail and other communications via an 
electronic medium such as the Internet.  All such communications 
are public information as defined by Section 552.002 and shall be 
included in the appropriate application file.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                           



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