Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB485 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R2798 ESH-D
2	2	By: Gonzales H.B. No. 485
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to ethics training for legislators and certain other state
8	8	officers and employees.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 571, Government Code, is
11	11	amended by amending Section 571.071 and adding Sections 571.0711
12	12	through 571.0714 to read as follows:
13	13	Sec. 571.071. REQUIRED ETHICS TRAINING[; GUIDELINES]. (a)
14	14	The following persons must complete the ethics training required by
15	15	this section:
16	16	(1) a member or member-elect of the legislature;
17	17	(2) the director, executive director, commissioner,
18	18	administrator, or other individual appointed to act as the chief
19	19	executive or administrative officer of a board, commission, or
20	20	other agency in the legislative or executive branch of state
21	21	government; and
22	22	(3) a full-time, paid employee of the house of
23	23	representatives, the senate, a member of the legislature, a
24	24	legislative committee, the governor, or the lieutenant governor.
25	25	(b) The commission shall[:
26	26	[(1)] provide training [by January of each
27	27	odd-numbered year] for persons required to complete ethics training
28	28	under this section [members and members-elect of the legislature]
29	29	concerning compliance with the laws administered and enforced by
30	30	the commission.
31	31	(c) A person required to complete ethics training under this
32	32	section must complete three hours of training every two years. A
33	33	person must complete the initial training not later than the 90th
34	34	day after the date the person is first elected or appointed to or
35	35	employed in a position for which ethics training is required. A
36	36	person must complete subsequent training not later than the second
37	37	anniversary of the date the person completed the most recent ethics
38	38	training under this section.
39	39	(d) Each board, commission, or other agency described by
40	40	Subsection (a) shall report to the commission, in accordance with
41	41	rules adopted by the commission, the appointment or employment of a
42	42	person required to complete ethics training under Subsection (a)(2)
43	43	or (3).
44	44	Sec. 571.0711. FAILURE TO COMPLETE REQUIRED ETHICS
45	45	TRAINING. (a) A person who does not complete the ethics training
46	46	required by Section 571.071 is not eligible to receive a salary or
47	47	wage payment until the person completes the required training.
48	48	(b) Not later than the 30th day after the date a person is
49	49	required to complete the ethics training under Section 571.071, the
50	50	commission shall certify the person's name to the comptroller if
51	51	the person did not complete the ethics training. Following receipt
52	52	of certification under this subsection, the comptroller may not
53	53	issue a warrant or make an electronic transfer representing a
54	54	salary or wage payment to the person until the commission certifies
55	55	that the person has completed the training.
56	56	(c) Not later than the 60th day before the date by which a
57	57	person is required to complete the ethics training under Section
58	58	571.071, the commission shall send a written notice to the person
59	59	that states:
60	60	(1) that the person is required by law to complete the
61	61	required amount of ethics training;
62	62	(2) the date of upcoming ethics training seminars;
63	63	(3) that the person will not be eligible to receive a
64	64	salary or wage payment if the person does not complete the required
65	65	training; and
66	66	(4) the date by which the person must complete the
67	67	ethics training.
68	68	Sec. 571.0712. ETHICS TRAINING FOR STATE EMPLOYEES. The
69	69	commission shall[; and
70	70	[(2)] provide, in cooperation with state agencies, a
71	71	program of ethics training for state employees other than those
72	72	required to complete the ethics training under Section 571.071.
73	73	Sec. 571.0713. COMPLIANCE GUIDELINES. [(b)] The commission
74	74	may disseminate, through pamphlets and seminars, explanations and
75	75	compliance guidelines concerning any law administered and enforced
76	76	by the commission.
77	77	Sec. 571.0714. SEMINARS FOR LOBBYISTS. (a) [(c)] The
78	78	commission may provide a seminar for persons required to register
79	79	under Chapter 305 that addresses issues involving lobbying,
80	80	political contributions and expenditures, and other issues as
81	81	determined by the commission.
82	82	(b) The commission may charge a fee for attending the
83	83	seminar in an amount necessary to cover the costs associated with
84	84	the seminar.
85	85	SECTION 2. A person who on January 1, 2010, holds an office
86	86	or employment for which the person is required to complete ethics
87	87	training under Section 571.071, Government Code, as amended by this
88	88	Act, must complete the ethics training required by that section not
89	89	later than April 1, 2010. A person who after January 1, 2010, is
90	90	elected or appointed to an office or employed in a position for
91	91	which the person is required to complete ethics training under
92	92	Section 571.071, Government Code, as amended by this Act, must
93	93	complete the ethics training required by that section in compliance
94	94	with that section.
95	95	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2010.