| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to public access to personal financial statements filed by |
|
|
candidates for and holders of state office and state chairs of |
|
|
political parties. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 572.032, Government Code, is amended by |
|
|
amending Subsections (a), (a-1), and (c) and adding Subsection |
|
|
(a-2) to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) Financial statements filed under this subchapter are |
|
|
public records. The commission shall: |
|
|
(1) maintain the statements in separate alphabetical |
|
|
files and in a manner that is accessible to the public during |
|
|
regular office hours; and |
|
|
(2) not later than the 10th business day after the date |
|
|
a statement is filed, post the statement on the commission's |
|
|
Internet website. |
|
|
(a-1) The commission shall remove the home address of a |
|
|
judge or justice from a financial statement filed under this |
|
|
subchapter before: |
|
|
(1) permitting a member of the public to view the |
|
|
statement; [or] |
|
|
(2) providing a copy of the statement to a member of |
|
|
the public; or |
|
|
(3) posting the statement on the commission's Internet |
|
|
website. |
|
|
(a-2) In posting financial statements on the commission's |
|
|
Internet website, the commission shall to the extent practicable |
|
|
arrange the statements in a manner that: |
|
|
(1) groups together the statements filed by |
|
|
individuals holding or seeking the same type of office; and |
|
|
(2) groups together all statements filed by an |
|
|
individual that appear on the website. |
|
|
(c) After the second anniversary of the date the individual |
|
|
ceases to be a state officer, the commission may and on notification |
|
|
from the former state officer shall: |
|
|
(1) destroy each financial statement filed by the |
|
|
state officer; and |
|
|
(2) remove each financial statement filed by the state |
|
|
officer from the commission's Internet website. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 572.032(b), Government Code, is |
|
|
repealed. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 572.032, Government Code, as amended by |
|
|
this Act, applies only to a financial statement filed under |
|
|
Subchapter B, Chapter 572, Government Code, that is due on or after |
|
|
September 1, 2013. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |