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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the adoption of a training manual for certain state |
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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 6, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 673 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 673. TRAINING MANUAL FOR CERTAIN STATE OFFICERS |
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Sec. 673.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Executive head of a state agency" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 669.001. |
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(2) "State agency" means a department, board, |
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commission, or other agency in the executive branch of state |
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government. The term does not include an institution of higher |
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education as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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Sec. 673.002. TRAINING MANUAL. (a) The governing body of |
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a state agency or the single state officer who governs an agency |
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shall adopt a training manual as provided by this section. The |
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executive head of a state agency governed by a governing body shall |
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ensure that each member of the body receives a copy of the manual |
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each year. |
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(b) The training manual must include, at a minimum: |
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(1) the scope of and limitations on the rulemaking |
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authority of the governing body or officer; |
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(2) the distinction between the governing body's or |
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officer's rulemaking authority and the authority of the |
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legislature; |
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(3) the ethical considerations involved in |
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communications between the officer or members of the governing body |
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and persons required to register as lobbyists under Chapter 305; |
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(4) the procedures by which the officer or a member of |
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a governing body must disclose a conflict of interest; and |
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(5) rules and state laws applicable to the officer or |
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members of the governing body. |
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(c) A person who is a member of the governing body of a state |
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agency shall submit annually to the executive head of the state |
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agency a statement affirming receipt of the training manual. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than June 1, 2016, the governing body |
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of a state agency or the single state officer who governs the agency |
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shall adopt the training manual required by Section 673.002, |
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Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |