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| 3 | 5 | | |
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| 4 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 8 | | relating to the financial disclosure requirements for judges |
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| 7 | 9 | | receiving contributions from parties involved in cases they preside |
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| 8 | 10 | | over. |
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| 9 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 12 | | SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the "Transparency and |
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| 11 | 13 | | Reporting for Unbiased Standards in Trials" (TRUST Act). |
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| 12 | 14 | | SECTION 2. Title 5, Chapter 572, subchapter A, Government |
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| 13 | 15 | | Code, is amended adding as follows to Section 572.002: |
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| 14 | 16 | | (13) "Judge" refers to any judicial officer presiding over |
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| 15 | 17 | | cases in the state of Texas. |
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| 16 | 18 | | (14) "Contribution" refers to any monetary donation, gift, |
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| 17 | 19 | | or in-kind contribution. |
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| 18 | 20 | | (15) "Party to a suit" includes any plaintiff, petitioner, |
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| 19 | 21 | | defendant, prosecutor, or their legal representatives. |
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| 20 | 22 | | (16) "Texas Ethics Commission" refers to the commission |
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| 21 | 23 | | established under Chapter 571, Government Code, responsible for |
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| 22 | 24 | | enforcing this Act. |
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| 23 | 25 | | SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 572, Government Code, is |
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| 24 | 26 | | amended by adding Section 572.062 to read as follows: |
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| 25 | 27 | | Sec. 572.062. ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURE OF CERTAIN |
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| 26 | 28 | | CONTRIBUTIONS TO JUDGES. |
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| 27 | 29 | | (a) A judge shall disclose any contribution received from a |
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| 28 | 30 | | party to a suit they are presiding over within five (5) business |
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| 29 | 31 | | days of receipt. |
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| 30 | 32 | | (b) The disclosure must be include: |
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| 31 | 33 | | (1) The judge's name and position. |
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| 32 | 34 | | (2) The jurisdiction or geographical territory of the |
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| 33 | 35 | | judge. |
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| 34 | 36 | | (3) The cause number of the case. |
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| 35 | 37 | | (4) The name of the contributor. |
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| 36 | 38 | | (5) The contributor's relation to the case. |
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| 37 | 39 | | (6) The amount of the contribution, including in-kind |
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| 38 | 40 | | contributions. |
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| 39 | 41 | | (c) A copy of this disclosure shall be presented to all |
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| 40 | 42 | | parties to a suit subject to this section |
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| 41 | 43 | | (1) within five (5) business days of receipt or; |
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| 42 | 44 | | (2) prior to final hearing of an applicable suit, whichever |
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| 43 | 45 | | is sooner. |
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| 44 | 46 | | SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 572, Government Code, is |
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| 45 | 47 | | amended by adding Section 572.0621 to read as follows: |
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| 46 | 48 | | Sec. 572.0621. POST-CASE DISCLOSURE PERIOD |
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| 47 | 49 | | Pursuant to Sec. 572.062, a judge must continue to disclose any |
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| 48 | 50 | | contributions from parties involved in a case for a period of Sixty |
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| 49 | 51 | | (60) days after the final order of the suit. |
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| 50 | 52 | | SECTION 5. If any provision of this Act or its application |
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| 51 | 53 | | to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does |
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| 52 | 54 | | not affect other provisions or applications of this Act that can be |
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| 53 | 55 | | given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to |
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| 54 | 56 | | this end, the provisions of this Act are severable. |
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| 55 | 57 | | SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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