LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION April 14, 2009 TO: Honorable John Carona, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security FROM: John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE:SB585 by Carona (Relating to standards of conduct and ethics policies for metropolitan planning organizations.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. The bill would require a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) policy board to distribute a copy of the organization's ethics policy to each new employee and each new policy board member within a certain time period. The bill would also require a prosecuting attorney who receives notification of a violation of the MPO's ethics policy to contact the Texas Ethics Commission (commission) of the status of the investigation. On request, the commission would be required to assist the prosecuting attorney in the investigation. If an employee of an MPO is subject to the ethics policy of another governmental entity, the ethics policy of the other entity prevails if the policies conflict. Unless there were to be a large number of investigations related to ethics violations by MPO board members and employees, and the prosecuting attorney were to seek assistance from the commission for each, it is assumed costs associated with implementation could be absorbed within existing resources. Local Government Impact No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source Agencies:356 Texas Ethics Commission LBB Staff: JOB, KJG, DB
LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
April 14, 2009
TO: Honorable John Carona, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security FROM: John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE:SB585 by Carona (Relating to standards of conduct and ethics policies for metropolitan planning organizations.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
TO: Honorable John Carona, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security
FROM: John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: SB585 by Carona (Relating to standards of conduct and ethics policies for metropolitan planning organizations.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Honorable John Carona, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security
Honorable John Carona, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
SB585 by Carona (Relating to standards of conduct and ethics policies for metropolitan planning organizations.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
SB585 by Carona (Relating to standards of conduct and ethics policies for metropolitan planning organizations.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would require a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) policy board to distribute a copy of the organization's ethics policy to each new employee and each new policy board member within a certain time period. The bill would also require a prosecuting attorney who receives notification of a violation of the MPO's ethics policy to contact the Texas Ethics Commission (commission) of the status of the investigation. On request, the commission would be required to assist the prosecuting attorney in the investigation. If an employee of an MPO is subject to the ethics policy of another governmental entity, the ethics policy of the other entity prevails if the policies conflict. Unless there were to be a large number of investigations related to ethics violations by MPO board members and employees, and the prosecuting attorney were to seek assistance from the commission for each, it is assumed costs associated with implementation could be absorbed within existing resources.
The bill would require a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) policy board to distribute a copy of the organization's ethics policy to each new employee and each new policy board member within a certain time period. The bill would also require a prosecuting attorney who receives notification of a violation of the MPO's ethics policy to contact the Texas Ethics Commission (commission) of the status of the investigation. On request, the commission would be required to assist the prosecuting attorney in the investigation. If an employee of an MPO is subject to the ethics policy of another governmental entity, the ethics policy of the other entity prevails if the policies conflict.
Unless there were to be a large number of investigations related to ethics violations by MPO board members and employees, and the prosecuting attorney were to seek assistance from the commission for each, it is assumed costs associated with implementation could be absorbed within existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies: 356 Texas Ethics Commission
356 Texas Ethics Commission
LBB Staff: JOB, KJG, DB
JOB, KJG, DB