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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to filing with the Texas Ethics Commission disclosure |
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reports relating to political contributions and political |
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expenditures made in connection with offices and measures of local |
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governmental entities and to contracts with local governmental |
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entities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 571, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter G to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER G. REPORTING RELATED TO |
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LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AND OFFICERS |
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Sec. 571.201. PURPOSE. The purpose of this subchapter is to |
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further the objective of fully disclosing information related to |
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political contributions and political expenditures made in |
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connection with offices and measures of local governmental entities |
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and to expenditures for petitioning local governmental entities by |
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allowing a local governmental entity, a candidate for or holder of |
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an office of a local governmental entity, or a person who petitions |
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a local governmental entity to use the commission's software and |
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other commission resources to file disclosure reports of |
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contributions and expenditures, including those reports required |
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by state law or a rule or ordinance adopted by a local governmental |
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entity. |
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Sec. 571.202. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Conflict of interest report" means: |
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(A) a conflicts disclosure statement required |
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under Section 176.003, Local Government Code; or |
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(B) a conflict of interest questionnaire |
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required under Section 176.006, Local Government Code. |
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(2) "Local government employee" means an employee of a |
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local governmental entity. |
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(3) "Local governmental entity" and "local government |
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officer" have the meanings assigned by Section 176.001, Local |
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Government Code. |
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(4) "Political contribution," "political |
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expenditure," and "specific-purpose committee" have the meanings |
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assigned by Section 251.001, Election Code. |
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Sec. 571.203. USE OF COMMISSION SOFTWARE AND RESOURCES. |
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(a) To fulfill the purpose of this subchapter and to facilitate |
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filing of disclosure statements and reports required under state |
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law or a rule or ordinance adopted by a local governmental entity, |
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including reports of political contributions and political |
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expenditures required under Chapter 254, Election Code, financial |
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statements required under Chapters 145 and 159, Local Government |
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Code, and conflict of interest reports required under Chapter 176, |
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Local Government Code, the commission may allow the use of |
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commission software and resources by: |
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(1) a local governmental entity; |
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(2) a local government officer; |
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(3) a candidate for an office of a local governmental |
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entity; |
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(4) a specific-purpose committee for supporting or |
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opposing a candidate for an office of a local governmental entity, |
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assisting a local government officer, or supporting or opposing a |
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measure proposed by a local governmental entity; or |
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(5) a person who enters or seeks to enter into a |
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contract with a local governmental entity. |
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(b) The commission may provide assistance to a local |
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governmental entity, a local government officer, a candidate for an |
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office of a local governmental entity, a specific-purpose |
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committee, or a person who enters or seeks to enter into a contract |
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with a local governmental entity by: |
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(1) developing software to facilitate electronic |
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filing of disclosure statements and reports; |
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(2) accepting disclosure statements and reports for |
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electronic filing; and |
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(3) providing public access through the Internet to |
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electronic disclosure statements and reports filed with the |
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commission by: |
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(A) a local governmental entity; |
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(B) a local government officer; |
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(C) a candidate for an office of a local |
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governmental entity; |
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(D) a specific-purpose committee for supporting |
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or opposing a candidate for an office of a local governmental |
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entity, assisting a local government officer, or supporting or |
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opposing a measure proposed by a local governmental entity; or |
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(E) a person who enters or seeks to enter into a |
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contract with a local governmental entity. |
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(c) The commission may enter into an intergovernmental |
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contract with a local governmental entity to provide the assistance |
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described by Subsection (a). |
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Sec. 571.204. APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER TO CERTAIN ENTITIES |
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AND PERSONS. Unless expressly provided by this chapter, the |
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provisions of Subchapters A-F do not apply to the filing of a |
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disclosure statement or report under this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |