AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Chapter 159 (Financial Disclosure by County Officers and Employees), Local Government Code, requires certain county officials and candidates for county officials to file personal financial statements with the county clerk or other county officer as designated by their respective commissioners court. Specifically, this requirement applies to county judges, county commissioners, and county attorneys or candidates for those positions in a county with a population of 100,000 or more. It also applies to justices of the peace or candidates for the office of justice of the peace in a county with a population of 125,000 or more. Current law does not expressly allow these filers to submit personal financial statements electronically.
S.B. 692 authorizes county officials and candidates for county officials, as designated by Chapter 159, Local Government Code, to submit required financial statements electronically, in accordance with guidelines prescribed by the county clerk or designated county officer.
S.B. 692 amends current law relating to the filing by electronic mail of financial disclosures by certain county officers, county employees, or candidates for county office.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 159.003, Local Government Code, by adding Subsection (c) to authorize a financial disclosure statement to be filed with the county clerk by electronic mail, and to authorize the county clerk to prescribe the manner and format for filing by electronic mail.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 159.005(b), Local Government Code, as follows:
(b) Requires the county clerk to mail or, at the request of the person required to file under this subchapter, send by electronic mail the form to each person required to file under this subchapter within the time prescribed by Section 572.030(c) (relating to requiring that certain documents be mailed by certain dates), Government Code, rather than send two copies of the form to each person required to file under this subchapter within the time prescribed by Section 572.030(c), Government Code.
SECTION 3. Amends Section 159.034, Local Government Code, by adding Subsection (d) to authorize a report filed under this subchapter to be filed by electronic mail, and to authorize the authority with whom the report is filed to prescribe the manner and format for filing by electronic mail.
SECTION 4. Amends Section 159.052, Local Government Code, by adding Subsection (c) to authorize a financial statement filed with the county clerk to be filed by electronic mail, and to authorize the county clerk to prescribe the manner and format for filing by electronic mail under this subsection.
SECTION 5. Amends Section 159.054(b), Local Government Code, to require the county clerk to make paper and electronic copies of the form to be used for filing the financial statement required by this subchapter (Financial Disclosure by County Judicial Officers) available to each person required to file under this subchapter within the time prescribed by Section 572.030(c), Government Code.
SECTION 6. Effective date: September 1, 2013.