| 1 | 1 | | By: Campbell S.B. No. 1460 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to the ethics violations registry maintained by the Texas |
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| 9 | 9 | | Ethics Commission and the requirement that state agencies verify an |
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| 10 | 10 | | applicant's status on the registry before issuing or renewing a |
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| 11 | 11 | | license. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Texas Ethics |
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| 14 | 14 | | Compliance Act of 2025. |
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| 15 | 15 | | SECTION 2. Chapter 571, Government Code, Subchapter B is |
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| 16 | 16 | | amended to add Section 571.178 to read as follows: |
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| 17 | 17 | | Sec. 571.178. ETHICS VIOLATIONS REGISTRY. (a) The |
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| 18 | 18 | | commission shall establish and maintain an Texas Ethics Violations |
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| 19 | 19 | | Registry that is made available on the commission's Internet |
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| 20 | 20 | | website that lists individuals and entities with ethics violations |
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| 21 | 21 | | under this code. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (b) An individual or entity shall be placed on the registry |
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| 23 | 23 | | upon: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (1) the commission issuing a fine related to a |
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| 25 | 25 | | violation; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2) the individual or entity has exhausted all appeals |
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| 27 | 27 | | opportunities. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (c) The registry must include: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (1) the name of the individual or entity; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) the nature of the violation; |
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| 31 | 31 | | (3) the date the violation was issued; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | (4) any actions taken by the commission regarding the |
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| 33 | 33 | | violation. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (d) The commission shall remove an individual or entity from |
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| 35 | 35 | | the registry upon compliance with all administrative penalties, |
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| 36 | 36 | | fines, or corrective actions required as a result of the ethics |
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| 37 | 37 | | complaint. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (e) The commission shall adopt rules to ensure due process |
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| 39 | 39 | | protections for individuals and entities placed on the registry, |
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| 40 | 40 | | including notice and the opportunity to contest placement. |
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| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 3. Chapter 2001, Government Code, Subchapter A is |
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| 42 | 42 | | amended to add Section 2001.008 to read as follows: |
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| 43 | 43 | | Sec. 2001.008. ETHICS VIOLATIONS REGISTRY REVIEW FOR |
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| 44 | 44 | | LICENSING PURPOSES. (a) Each state agency with licensing authority |
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| 45 | 45 | | shall, before issuing or renewing a license, verify whether the |
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| 46 | 46 | | applicant is listed on the Texas Ethics Violations Registry. |
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| 47 | 47 | | (b) State agencies include, but are not limited to: |
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| 48 | 48 | | (1) The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations; |
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| 49 | 49 | | (2) The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles; |
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| 50 | 50 | | (3) The Texas Medical Board; |
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| 51 | 51 | | (4) The State Bar of Texas; |
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| 52 | 52 | | (5) The Texas Real Estate Commission; |
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| 53 | 53 | | (6) The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement; |
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| 54 | 54 | | (7) The Texas Department of Insurance; |
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| 55 | 55 | | (8) The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; and |
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| 56 | 56 | | (9) Any other licensing agency designated by the Texas |
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| 57 | 57 | | Ethics Commission. |
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| 58 | 58 | | (c) If an applicant is listed on the Texas Ethics Violations |
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| 59 | 59 | | registry: |
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| 60 | 60 | | (1) the licensing agency shall provide written |
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| 61 | 61 | | notification to the applicant of their registry status; |
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| 62 | 62 | | (2) the agency shall delay the issuance or renewal of |
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| 63 | 63 | | the license pending resolution of the ethics violation or |
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| 64 | 64 | | violations; and |
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| 65 | 65 | | (3) In accordance with state or federal law, the |
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| 66 | 66 | | agency shall deny the application or impose appropriate conditions |
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| 67 | 67 | | until the ethics violation is resolved. |
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| 68 | 68 | | (d) The licensing agency shall adopt rules to ensure |
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| 69 | 69 | | procedural fairness for applicants and provide a mechanism for |
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| 70 | 70 | | applicants to challenge adverse licensing decisions based on |
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| 71 | 71 | | registry status. |
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| 72 | 72 | | SECTION 4. As soon as possible after the effective date of |
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| 73 | 73 | | this Act, the Texas Ethics Commission and each state agency subject |
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| 74 | 74 | | to this Act shall adopt rules and procedures necessary for |
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| 75 | 75 | | implementation. |
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| 76 | 76 | | SECTION 5. Except as otherwise provided by rules adopted by |
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| 77 | 77 | | the Texas Ethics Commission under Section 571.178, Government Code, |
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| 78 | 78 | | as added by this Act, the withholding of licenses issued or renewed |
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| 79 | 79 | | applies to all violators of Texas Ethics Commission violations |
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| 80 | 80 | | before, on, or after the effective date of this Act. |
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| 81 | 81 | | SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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