H.B. No. 1246
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the methods of delivery for required financial
  statement forms sent to certain municipal officeholders and
  candidates for municipal office.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 145.002, Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 145.002.  DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION]. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Deliver" means transmitting by mail, personal
  delivery, or e-mail or any other means of electronic transfer.
               (2)  "Municipal[, "municipal] officer" means the
  mayor, a member of the governing body, the municipal attorney, or
  the city manager of a municipality.
         SECTION 2.  Section 145.005(b), Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The clerk or secretary shall deliver at least one copy 
  [mail two copies] of the form to each municipal officer or person
  who is appointed to a municipal office who is required to file under
  this chapter within the time prescribed by Section 572.030(c)(1),
  Government Code. The clerk or secretary shall deliver [mail] a copy
  of the form to each candidate for a municipal office filled by
  election who is required to file under this chapter not later than
  the 10th day before the deadline for filing the statement under
  Section 145.004(c). The clerk or secretary may choose one or more
  methods to deliver the form.
         SECTION 3.  Section 145.009(c), Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (c)  It is a defense to prosecution under this section that
  the officer or candidate did not receive copies of the financial
  statement form required to be delivered [mailed] to the officer or
  candidate by this chapter.
         SECTION 4.  Section 145.005(b), Local Government Code, as
  amended by this Act, applies only to a financial statement due on or
  after the effective date of this Act. A financial statement due
  before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
  effect on the date the financial statement was due, and the former
  law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 5.  Section 145.009(c), Local Government Code, as
  amended by this Act, applies only to an offense committed on or
  after the effective date of this Act. An offense committed before
  the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on
  the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued
  in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense
  was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element
  of the offense occurred before that date.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1246 was passed by the House on April
  23, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 140, Nays 1, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 1246 on May 18, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 134, Nays 0,
  1 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1246 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 12, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays
  0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor