By: Truitt, Anchia H.B. No. 1735
 
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1735:
 
  By:  Anchia C.S.H.B. No. 1735
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to ethics training for legislators.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 571, Government Code, is
amended by amending Section 571.071 and adding Sections 571.0711,
571.0712, and 571.0713 to read as follows:
       Sec. 571.071.  REQUIRED ETHICS TRAINING FOR LEGISLATORS[;
GUIDELINES]. (a)  A member or member-elect of the legislature must
complete the ethics training required by this section.
       (b)  The commission shall[:
             [(1)]  provide training [by January of each
odd-numbered year] for members and members-elect of the legislature
concerning compliance with the laws administered and enforced by
the commission.  The training must:
             (1)  focus primarily on compliance by a member of or
candidate for the legislature with requirements for reporting
political contributions and expenditures under Chapter 254,
Election Code;
             (2)  be designed to use the best practices developed
for training programs of other state agencies, including the
training provided by the attorney general under Section 552.012;
             (3)  be delivered through a variety of means, including
seminars, digital versatile discs (DVDs), transmission over the
Internet, or another appropriate electronic manner;
             (4)  subject to Subsection (d), be regularly revised to
reflect changes in law; and
             (5)  include a mechanism by which a person required to
complete ethics training under this section may provide to the
commission the person's evaluation of the understandability and
usefulness of the training.
       (c)  A person required to complete ethics training under this
section must complete a three-hour initial training session not
later than the 90th day after the date the person is first elected
or appointed to the legislature.
       (d)  Not later than 90 days after the effective date of any
substantive changes, as determined by the commission, in the law
described by Subsection (b)(1), the commission shall provide
revised training related to the changes. A person required to
complete ethics training under this section must complete the
revised training not later than the 60th day after the date the
commission makes the revised training available.
       (e)  After the initial training session under Subsection
(c), a person must complete a one-hour training session not later
than the second anniversary of the date the person completed the
most recent training session under this section, including training
provided under Subsection (d).
       (f)  A member or member-elect of the legislature may
designate one or more persons employed by the member or
member-elect to participate in the ethics training provided under
this section.  The completion of the training by a person employed
by a member or member-elect does not satisfy the member's or
member-elect's obligation to complete the training.
       (g)  The commission shall post on its Internet website the
name and address of each person required to complete ethics
training under this section who has failed to complete the required
training.  The commission shall post information under this
subsection not later than the 15th day after the last date by which
the person is required to complete the ethics training.  The
commission shall remove from the commission's Internet website
information posted under this subsection as soon as practicable
after the person completes the required training.
       (h)  The commission shall issue a certificate of course
completion to each person who completes ethics training required
under this section. The certificate of course completion must
describe the laws covered by the training.  A certificate of course
completion is admissible as evidence in a criminal prosecution for
a violation of a law covered by the training, but evidence that a
defendant completed training under this section is not prima facie
evidence that the defendant knowingly violated a law covered by the
training.
       Sec. 571.0711.  ETHICS TRAINING FOR STATE EMPLOYEES.  The
commission shall[; and
             [(2)]  provide, in cooperation with state agencies, a
program of ethics training for state employees.
       Sec. 571.0712.  COMPLIANCE GUIDELINES. [(b)] The commission
may disseminate, through pamphlets and seminars, explanations and
compliance guidelines concerning any law administered and enforced
by the commission.
       Sec. 571.0713.  SEMINARS FOR LOBBYISTS. (a) [(c)] The
commission may provide a seminar for persons required to register
under Chapter 305 that addresses issues involving lobbying,
political contributions and expenditures, and other issues as
determined by the commission.
       (b)  The commission may charge a fee for attending the
seminar in an amount necessary to cover the costs associated with
the seminar.
       SECTION 2.  A person who on January 1, 2008, serves as a
member of the legislature must complete the ethics training
required by Section 571.071, Government Code, as amended by this
Act, not later than April 1, 2008.  A person who after January 1,
2008, is elected or appointed to the legislature must complete the
ethics training required by Section 571.071, Government Code, as
amended by this Act, in compliance with that section.
       SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2008.