Texas House Bill HB370

Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

• Filed: 11/15/16

Caption

Relating to the availability on the Internet of personal financial statements filed by public officials.

Notes

The bill could also foster discussions about the adequacy of current ethical standards and the mechanisms protecting public officials from potential harassment or unwanted attention arising from public disclosures.

Impact

The enactment of HB370 will bring about significant changes in how personal financial information of public officials is handled in Texas. By requiring personal data to be accessible but with the home address redacted, it strikes a balance between public transparency and individual privacy rights. This will likely lead to increased online access to financial disclosures, making it easier for citizens to scrutinize the financial activities of their elected officials.

Summary

House Bill 370 introduces amendments to the Government Code and the Local Government Code concerning the public availability of personal financial statements filed by public officials. This legislation mandates that the financial statements must be accessible on the Texas Ethics Commission's website and requires the redaction of home addresses before making these statements public. The intent behind this bill is to enhance transparency while also aiming to protect the personal privacy of state officials.

Contention

A potential point of contention surrounding HB370 may arise from the privacy implications for public officials. While many may support the increased transparency provided by the bill, there might be concerns over the adequacy of the redaction and the risk of exposing sensitive personal information. Critics could argue that even redacted information could be misused or that the measures put in place are not sufficient to fully protect the privacy of public officials from public scrutiny.