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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to contributions made and personal services rendered to |
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public servants. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 251.001, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subdivision (2) to read as follows: |
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(2) "Contribution" means a direct or indirect transfer |
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of money, goods, services, or any other thing of value and includes |
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an agreement made or other obligation incurred, whether legally |
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enforceable or not, to make a transfer. The term includes a loan or |
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extension of credit, other than those expressly excluded by this |
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subdivision, and a guarantee of a loan or extension of credit, |
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including a loan described by this subdivision. The term does not |
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include: |
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(A) a loan made in the due course of business by a |
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corporation that is legally engaged in the business of lending |
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money and that has conducted the business continuously for more |
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than one year before the loan is made;[ or] |
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(B) an expenditure required to be reported under |
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Section 305.006(b), Government Code[.]; or |
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(C) an individual's personal service if the |
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individual receives no compensation for the service. |
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SECTION 2. Section 253.159, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 253.159. EXCEPTION TO CONTRIBUTION LIMITS. Sections |
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253.155 and 253.157 do not apply to an individual who is related to |
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the candidate or officeholder within the second degree by affinity |
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or consanguinity, as determined under Subchapter B, Chapter 573, |
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Government Code. |
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SECTION 3. Section 253.162, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) to read as follows: |
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(b) A judicial candidate or officeholder who accepts one or |
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more political contributions in the form of loans, including an |
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extension of credit or a guarantee of a loan or extension of credit, |
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from one or more persons related to the candidate or officeholder |
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within the second degree by affinity or consanguinity, as |
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determined under Subchapter B, Chapter 573, Government Code, may |
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not use political contributions to repay the loans. |
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SECTION 4. Section 254.031, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, each |
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report filed under this chapter must include: |
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(1) the amount of political contributions from each |
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person that in the aggregate exceed $50 and that are accepted during |
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the reporting period by the person or committee required to file a |
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report under this chapter, the full name and address of the person |
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making the contributions, and the dates of the contributions; |
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(2) the amount of loans that are made during the |
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reporting period for campaign or officeholder purposes to the |
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person or committee required to file the report and that in the |
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aggregate exceed $50, the dates the loans are made, the interest |
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rate, the maturity date, the type of collateral for the loans, if |
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any, the full name and address of the person or financial |
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institution making the loans, the full name and address, principal |
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occupation, and name of the employer of each guarantor of the loans, |
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the amount of the loans guaranteed by each guarantor, and the |
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aggregate principal amount of all outstanding loans as of the last |
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day of the reporting period; |
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(3) the amount of political expenditures that in the |
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aggregate exceed $50 and that are made during the reporting period, |
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the full name and address of the persons to whom the expenditures |
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are made, and the dates and purposes of the expenditures; |
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(4) the amount of each payment made during the |
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reporting period from a political contribution if the payment is |
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not a political expenditure, the full name and address of the person |
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to whom the payment is made, and the date and purpose of the |
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payment; |
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(5) the total amount or a specific listing of the |
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political contributions of $50 or less accepted and the total |
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amount or a specific listing of the political expenditures of $50 or |
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less made during the reporting period; |
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(6) the total amount of all political contributions |
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accepted and the total amount of all political expenditures made |
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during the reporting period; |
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(7) the name of each candidate or officeholder who |
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benefits from a direct campaign expenditure made during the |
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reporting period by the person or committee required to file the |
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report, and the office sought or held, excluding a direct campaign |
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expenditure that is made by the principal political committee of a |
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political party on behalf of a slate of two or more nominees of that |
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party;[ and] |
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(8) as of the last day of a reporting period for which |
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the person is required to file a report, the total amount of |
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political contributions accepted, including interest or other |
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income on those contributions, maintained in one or more accounts |
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in which political contributions are deposited as of the last day of |
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the reporting period[.]; and |
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(9) the amount of political contributions in the form |
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of cash and negotiable instruments that has not been deposited in an |
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account in which political contributions are deposited. |
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SECTION 5. Section 254.0611, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) to read as follows: |
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(a) In addition to the contents required by Sections 254.031 |
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and 254.061, each report by a candidate for a judicial office |
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covered by Subchapter F, Chapter 253, must include: |
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(1) the total amount of political contributions, |
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including interest or other income, maintained in one or more |
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accounts in which political contributions are deposited as of the |
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last day of the reporting period; |
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(2) for each individual from whom the person filing |
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the report has accepted political contributions that in the |
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aggregate exceed $50 and that are accepted during the reporting |
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period: |
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(A) the principal occupation and job title of the |
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individual and the full name of the employer of the individual or of |
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the law firm of which the individual or the individual's spouse is a |
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member, if any; or |
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(B) if the individual is a child, the full name of |
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the law firm of which either of the individual's parents is a |
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member, if any; |
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(3) a specific listing of each asset valued at $500 or |
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more that was purchased with political contributions and on hand as |
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of the last day of the reporting period; |
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(4) for each political contribution accepted by the |
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person filing the report but not received as of the last day of the |
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reporting period: |
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(A) the full name and address of the person |
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making the contribution; |
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(B) the amount of the contribution; and |
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(C) the date of the contribution;[ and] |
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(5) for each outstanding loan to the person filing the |
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report as of the last day of the reporting period: |
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(A) the full name and address of the person or |
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financial institution making the loan; and |
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(B) the full name and address of each guarantor |
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of the loan other than the candidate[.]; and |
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(6) the amount of political contributions in the form |
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of cash and negotiable instruments that has not been deposited in an |
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account in which political contributions are deposited. |
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SECTION 6. Section 36.10, Penal Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) to read as follows: |
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(a) Sections 36.08 (Gift to Public Servant) and 36.09 |
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(Offering Gift to Public Servant) do not apply to: |
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(1) a fee prescribed by law to be received by a public |
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servant or any other benefit to which the public servant is lawfully |
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entitled or for which he gives legitimate consideration in a |
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capacity other than as a public servant; |
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(2) a gift or other benefit conferred on account of |
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kinship or a personal, professional, or business relationship |
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independent of the official status of the recipient; or |
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(3) a benefit to a public servant required to file a |
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statement under Chapter 572, Government Code, or a report under |
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Title 15, Election Code, that is derived from a function in honor or |
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appreciation of the recipient if: |
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(A) the benefit and the source of any benefit in |
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excess of $50 is reported in the statement; and |
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(B) the benefit is used solely to defray the |
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expenses that accrue in the performance of duties or activities in |
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connection with the office which are nonreimbursable by the state |
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or political subdivision; |
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(4) a political contribution as defined by Title 15, |
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Election Code; |
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(5) a gift, award, or memento to a member of the |
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legislative or executive branch that is required to be reported |
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under Chapter 305, Government Code; |
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(6) an item with a value of less than $50, excluding |
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cash or a negotiable instrument as described by Section 3.104, |
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Business & Commerce Code;[ or] |
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(7) an item issued by a governmental entity that |
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allows the use of property or facilities owned, leased, or operated |
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by the governmental entity[.]; or |
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(8) an individual's personal service if the individual |
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receives no compensation for the service. |
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SECTION 7. Section 572.023, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) to read as follows: |
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(b) The account of financial activity consists of: |
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(1) a list of all sources of occupational income, |
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identified by employer, or if self-employed, by the nature of the |
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occupation, including identification of a person or other |
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organization from which the individual or a business in which the |
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individual has a substantial interest received a fee as a retainer |
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for a claim on future services in case of need, as distinguished |
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from a fee for services on a matter specified at the time of |
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contracting for or receiving the fee, if professional or |
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occupational services are not actually performed during the |
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reporting period equal to or in excess of the amount of the |
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retainer, and the category of the amount of the fee; |
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(2) identification by name and the category of the |
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number of shares of stock of any business entity held or acquired, |
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and if sold, the category of the amount of net gain or loss realized |
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from the sale; |
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(3) a list of all bonds, notes, and other commercial |
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paper held or acquired, and if sold, the category of the amount of |
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net gain or loss realized from the sale; |
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(4) identification of each source and the category of |
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the amount of income in excess of $500 derived from each source from |
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interest, dividends, royalties, and rents; |
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(5) identification of each guarantor of a loan and |
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identification of each person or financial institution to whom a |
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personal note or notes or lease agreement for a total financial |
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liability in excess of $1,000 existed at any time during the year |
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and the category of the amount of the liability; |
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(6) identification by description of all beneficial |
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interests in real property and business entities held or acquired, |
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and if sold, the category of the amount of the net gain or loss |
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realized from the sale; |
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(7) identification of a person or other organization |
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from which the individual or the individual's spouse or dependent |
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children received a gift of anything of value in excess of $250 and |
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a description of each gift, except: |
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(A) a gift received from an individual related to |
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the individual at any time within the second degree by |
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consanguinity or affinity, as determined under Subchapter B, |
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Chapter 573; |
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(B) a political contribution that was reported as |
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required by Chapter 254, Election Code;[ and] |
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(C) an expenditure required to be reported by a |
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person required to be registered under Chapter 305; and |
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(D) an individual's personal service if the |
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individual receives no compensation for the service; |
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(8) identification of the source and the category of |
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the amount of all income received as beneficiary of a trust, other |
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than a blind trust that complies with Subsection (c), and |
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identification of each trust asset, if known to the beneficiary, |
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from which income was received by the beneficiary in excess of $500; |
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(9) identification by description and the category of |
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the amount of all assets and liabilities of a corporation, firm, |
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partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, |
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professional corporation, professional association, joint venture, |
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or other business association in which 50 percent or more of the |
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outstanding ownership was held, acquired, or sold; |
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(10) a list of all boards of directors of which the |
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individual is a member and executive positions that the individual |
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holds in corporations, firms, partnerships, limited partnerships, |
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limited liability partnerships, professional corporations, |
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professional associations, joint ventures, or other business |
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associations or proprietorships, stating the name of each |
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corporation, firm, partnership, limited partnership, limited |
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liability partnership, professional corporation, professional |
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association, joint venture, or other business association or |
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proprietorship and the position held; |
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(11) identification of any person providing |
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transportation, meals, or lodging expenses permitted under Section |
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36.07(b), Penal Code, and the amount of those expenses, other than |
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expenditures required to be reported under Chapter 305; |
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(12) any corporation, firm, partnership, limited |
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partnership, limited liability partnership, professional |
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corporation, professional association, joint venture, or other |
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business association, excluding a publicly held corporation, in |
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which both the individual and a person registered under Chapter 305 |
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have an interest; |
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(13) identification by name and the category of the |
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number of shares of any mutual fund held or acquired, and if sold, |
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the category of the amount of net gain or loss realized from the |
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sale; and |
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(14) identification of each blind trust that complies |
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with Subsection (c), including: |
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(A) the category of the fair market value of the |
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trust; |
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(B) the date the trust was created; |
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(C) the name and address of the trustee; and |
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(D) a statement signed by the trustee, under |
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penalty of perjury, stating that: |
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(i) the trustee has not revealed any |
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information to the individual, except information that may be |
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disclosed under Subdivision (8); and |
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(ii) to the best of the trustee's knowledge, |
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the trust complies with this section. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |