By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 1778
(In the Senate - Filed March 11, 2005; March 30, 2005, read
first time and referred to Subcommittee on Higher Education;
April 19, 2005, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute to Committee on Education; April 25, 2005, reported
adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute from Committee on
Education by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; April 25, 2005,
sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1778 By: Staples
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to reporting of personal financial information by trustees
of certain junior college districts and to candidates for office of
certain political subdivisions; providing civil and criminal
penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 130, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 130.0831 to read as follows:
Sec. 130.0831. FILING OF FINANCIAL STATEMENT BY TRUSTEE.
(a) This section applies only to a junior college district that:
(1) has an enrollment of more than 33,000 students;
and
(2) has fewer than six campuses.
(b) A member of the board of trustees of a junior college
district shall file the financial statement required of state
officers under Subchapter B, Chapter 572, Government Code, with:
(1) the board of trustees of the junior college
district; and
(2) the Texas Ethics Commission.
(c) Subchapter B, Chapter 572, Government Code:
(1) applies to a trustee of a junior college district
as if the trustee were a state officer; and
(2) governs the contents, timeliness of filing, and
public inspection of a statement filed under this section.
(d) A trustee subject to this section commits an offense if
the trustee fails to file the statement required by this section.
An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.
SECTION 2. Chapter 144, Election Code, is amended by adding
Section 144.0021 to read as follows:
Sec. 144.0021. CANDIDACY FOR OTHER OFFICE. If an elected
officer subject to this chapter becomes a candidate, by announcing
an intention to be a candidate or by filing an application for a
place on the ballot, for any elected office other than an office
covered by this chapter, the announcement or candidacy constitutes
an automatic resignation of the office held, and the vacancy
created shall be filled as provided by applicable law.
SECTION 3. Section 253.004, Election Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
(a-1) Funds collected or held by a political committee
established in connection with a candidacy for an elected office
covered by Chapter 144 may not be expended for any other purpose.
This subsection does not apply to a charitable contribution.
SECTION 4. Section 130.0831, Education Code, as added by
this Act, applies beginning January 1, 2007. A trustee subject to
Section 130.0831, Education Code, as added by this Act, is not
required to include financial activity occurring before January 1,
2006, in a financial disclosure statement required under Section
130.0831, Education Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
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