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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to communications made by an officer or employee of a |
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county or municipality to a legislator, legislative committee, or |
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executive branch officer. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 180, Local Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 180.008 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 180.008. QUARTERLY REPORT ON COMMUNICATIONS WITH STATE |
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OFFICERS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Texas Ethics Commission. |
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(2) "Communicates directly with" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 305.002, Government Code. |
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(b) Each officer or employee of a county or municipality who |
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communicates directly with a member of the legislature, a committee |
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of the legislature, or an officer of the executive branch shall file |
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with the commission a written, verified report concerning the |
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communications. |
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(c) The report must include a list of each: |
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(1) communication described by Subsection (b), |
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including: |
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(A) the name of the person or committee |
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communicated with; |
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(B) the date of the communication; and |
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(C) the subject matter of the communication; and |
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(2) expenditure made, or other direct or indirect cost |
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incurred, in making a communication described by Subsection (b), |
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including travel costs. |
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(d) An officer or employee required to file a report under |
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this section shall file the report each calendar quarter at the time |
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and in the manner prescribed by the commission. |
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(e) The commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement |
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this section. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2022, the Texas Ethics |
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Commission shall adopt rules prescribed by Section 180.008(e), |
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Local Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. Section 180.008, Local Government Code, as added |
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by this Act, applies only to conduct that occurs on or after January |
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1, 2022, and a person is not required to file a report under that |
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section before the end of the first calendar quarter beginning on or |
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after that date. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |