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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the reimbursement of state funds used on out-of-state |
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travel by elected officers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 5, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 576 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 576. REIMBURSEMENT FOR STATE-FUNDED TRAVEL AND SECURITY |
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Sec. 576.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Texas Ethics Commission. |
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(2) "Elected officer" means a member of the |
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legislature or the holder of an office of state government that is |
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voted on statewide, including a person appointed to fill a vacancy |
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in such an office. |
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Sec. 576.002. DISCLOSURE OF STATE-FUNDED TRAVEL OUTSIDE |
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THIS STATE. (a) An elected officer who uses any state funds for |
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transportation or security for travel outside this state shall file |
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a disclosure with the commission. A disclosure filed under this |
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chapter must be filed electronically. |
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(b) The disclosure must include: |
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(1) the dates on which the travel occurred; |
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(2) the locations where the travel occurred; |
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(3) the cost of the travel; |
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(4) the purpose of the travel; and |
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(5) the use to which the state-funded transportation |
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or security personnel was put. |
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Sec. 576.003. FILING DEADLINE. An elected officer shall |
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file a disclosure under this chapter not later than July 15 for |
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travel ending on or after January 1 and on or before June 30. An |
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elected officer shall file the disclosure not later than January 15 |
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for travel ending on or after July 1 and on or before December 31 of |
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the previous year. |
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Sec. 576.004. COMMISSION REVIEW; REIMBURSEMENT. (a) The |
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commission shall review the disclosure not later than the 90th day |
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after the date the disclosure is filed. |
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(b) If the commission determines that the state-funded |
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transportation or security was not used for official state |
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business, the elected officer shall reimburse the state for the |
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cost of the travel plus interest calculated at a rate equal to |
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inflation. |
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SECTION 2. Section 571.061(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The commission shall administer and enforce: |
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(1) Chapters 302, 303, 305, 572, 576, and 2004; |
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(2) Subchapter C, Chapter 159, Local Government Code, |
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in connection with a county judicial officer, as defined by Section |
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159.051, Local Government Code, who elects to file a financial |
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statement with the commission; |
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(3) Title 15, Election Code; and |
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(4) Sections 2152.064 and 2155.003. |
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SECTION 3. Section 571.091(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The commission shall prepare a written opinion |
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answering the request of a person subject to any of the following |
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laws for an opinion about the application of any of these laws to |
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the person in regard to a specified existing or hypothetical |
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factual situation: |
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(1) Chapter 302; |
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(2) Chapter 303; |
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(3) Chapter 305; |
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(4) Chapter 2004; |
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(5) Chapter 572; |
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(6) Subchapter C, Chapter 159, Local Government Code, |
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as provided by Section 571.061(a)(2); |
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(7) Title 15, Election Code; |
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(8) Chapter 36, Penal Code; |
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(9) Chapter 39, Penal Code; |
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(10) Section 2152.064; [or] |
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(11) Section 2155.003; or |
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(12) Chapter 576. |
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SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to travel beginning on or after January 1, 2014. Travel beginning |
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before January 1, 2014, is governed by the law in effect on the date |
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the travel began, and that law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect January 1, 2014. |