Bill Text: TX HB1354 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the creation of a select interim committee to undertake a comprehensive review of personal financial disclosures made to the Texas Ethics Commission and certain other authorities.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-28 - Considered in Calendars [HB1354 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-HB1354-Introduced.html
  84R6884 EES-D
 
  By: Howard H.B. No. 1354
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of a select interim committee to undertake
  a comprehensive review of personal financial disclosures made to
  the Texas Ethics Commission and certain other authorities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  INTERIM STUDY REGARDING PERSONAL FINANCIAL
  DISCLOSURES. (a)  A select interim committee is created to study
  and review the procedures and effects of the filing of personal
  financial statements with the Texas Ethics Commission or other
  authorities under Chapter 572, Government Code, or other similar
  laws.
         (b)  The study must consider:
               (1)  the purposes of the current disclosure statutes
  and whether the statutes accomplish those purposes;
               (2)  the effectiveness of the current disclosure
  scheme; and
               (3)  what changes, if any, should be made to more
  effectively accomplish the purposes of personal financial
  disclosures.
         (c)  The committee is composed of:
               (1)  five members appointed by the lieutenant governor
  as follows:
                     (A)  two senators;
                     (B)  one representative of an open government
  advocacy organization;
                     (C)  one representative of an organization
  representing professional media; and
                     (D)  one member of the public;
               (2)  five members appointed by the speaker of the house
  of representatives as follows:
                     (A)  two state representatives;
                     (B)  one representative of an open government
  advocacy organization;
                     (C)  one representative of an organization
  representing professional media; and
                     (D)  one member of the public; and
               (3)  one member of the Texas Ethics Commission,
  appointed by the presiding officer of the Texas Ethics Commission,
  who shall serve as the presiding officer of the committee.
         (d)  The committee shall convene at the call of the presiding
  officer.
         (e)  The committee has all other powers and duties provided
  to a special or select committee by the rules of the senate and
  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 January 15, 2017, 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, the speaker of the house of
  representatives, and the presiding officer of the Texas Ethics
  Commission 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 January 20, 2017.
         SECTION 3.  EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect
  immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members
  elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
  Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
  immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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