89R18384 TYPED
By: Shaheen H.B. No. 1555
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of a select interim committee to review and
make recommendations for substantive changes to ethics laws.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. INTERIM STUDY REGARDING ETHICS LAWS. (a) A
select interim committee is created to study and review the
statutes and regulations related to ethics, including campaign
finance laws, lobby laws, and personal financial disclosure laws.
(b) The study must consider:
(1) the purposes of the current laws and whether the
laws accomplish those purposes;
(2) the effectiveness of the current laws; and
(3) what changes, if any, should be made to more
effectively accomplish the purposes of the laws.
(c) The committee is composed of:
(1) four members appointed by the lieutenant governor
as follows:
(A) three senators, one of whom the lieutenant
governor shall designate as co-chair of the committee; and
(B) one member of the public;
(2) four members appointed by the speaker of the house
of representatives as follows:
(A) three state representatives, one of whom the
speaker shall designate as co-chair of the committee; and
(B) one member of the public; and
(3) the presiding officer of the Texas Ethics
Commission on the effective date of this Act.
(d) The committee shall convene at the call of the
co-chairs.
(e) The committee has all other powers and duties provided
to a special or select committee by the rules of the senate and the
house of representatives, by Subchapter B, Chapter 301, Government
Code, and by policies of the senate and house committees on
administration.
(f) Not later than December 20, 2026, the committee shall
report the committee's findings and recommendations to the
lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
and the governor. The committee shall include in its
recommendations specific statutory and rule changes that appear
necessary from the results of the committee's study under
Subsection (a) of this section.
(g) Not later than the 60th day after the effective date of
this Act, the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of
representatives shall appoint the members of the committee created
under this section.
(h) The Texas Legislative Council and the Texas Ethics
Commission shall provide any necessary staff and resources to the
committee created under this section.
SECTION 2. ABOLITION OF COMMITTEE. The committee is
abolished and this Act expires December 21, 2026.
SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September
1, 2025.