| 1 | 1 | | 85R7319 EES-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Davis of Harris H.B. No. 2472 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to waiving confidentiality regarding proceedings and |
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| 8 | 8 | | information relating to a complaint filed with the Texas Ethics |
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| 9 | 9 | | Commission. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 571.140, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 12 | 12 | | amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (b-2) to read as |
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| 13 | 13 | | follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), [or] (b-1), or |
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| 15 | 15 | | (b-2) or by Section 571.171, proceedings at a preliminary review |
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| 16 | 16 | | hearing performed by the commission, a sworn complaint or motion, |
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| 17 | 17 | | and documents and any additional evidence relating to the |
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| 18 | 18 | | processing, preliminary review, preliminary review hearing, or |
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| 19 | 19 | | resolution of a sworn complaint or motion are confidential and may |
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| 20 | 20 | | not be disclosed unless entered into the record of a formal hearing |
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| 21 | 21 | | or a judicial proceeding, except that a document or statement that |
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| 22 | 22 | | was previously public information remains public information. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (b-2) A respondent named in a sworn complaint or motion |
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| 24 | 24 | | waives confidentiality regarding any proceedings and information |
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| 25 | 25 | | relating to the sworn complaint or motion, with respect to the |
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| 26 | 26 | | respondent, by: |
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| 27 | 27 | | (1) publicly disclosing confidential information |
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| 28 | 28 | | relating to the sworn complaint or motion; or |
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| 29 | 29 | | (2) providing a verified, written waiver of |
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| 30 | 30 | | confidentiality to the executive director. |
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| 31 | 31 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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