Bill Text: TX HB1585 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to matters affecting the powers and duties of the Texas Ethics Commission.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-05-11 - Referred to State Affairs [HB1585 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB1585-Introduced.html

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88R13916 CJD-D
By: Geren H.B. No. 1585

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to matters affecting the powers and duties of the Texas
Ethics Commission.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 251, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 251.0017 to read as follows:
Sec. 251.0017. POLITICAL ADVERTISING RELATED TO
LEGISLATION. For purposes of Section 251.001(16), a communication
supporting or opposing legislation filed by a member of the
legislature is considered political advertising under that
subdivision if the communication appears to express support or
opposition of:
(1) the member; or
(2) persons who support or oppose the legislation.
SECTION 2. Section 257.003(b), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) The report must be filed with the commission and must
include the information required under Section 254.031, other than
Subsection (a)(1-a) of that section, as if the contributions or
expenditures were political contributions or political
expenditures.
SECTION 3. Section 305.002, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subdivision (6) and adding Subdivisions (15) and (16) to
read as follows:
(6) "Legislation" means:
(A) a bill, resolution, amendment, nomination,
or other matter pending in either house of the legislature,
including the election of the speaker of the house of
representatives;
(B) any matter that is or may be the subject of
action by either house or by a legislative committee, including the
introduction, consideration, passage, defeat, approval, or veto of
the matter; or
(C) any matter pending in a constitutional
convention or that may be the subject of action by a constitutional
convention.
(15) "Sexual harassment" means an unwelcome sexual
advance, a request for a sexual favor, or any other verbal or
physical conduct of a sexual nature if:
(A) submission to or rejection of the advance,
request, or conduct by an individual is used as a basis for a
decision by the registrant in making an expenditure authorized
under this chapter or under Title 15, Election Code;
(B) the advance, request, or conduct has the
purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's
work performance at the legislature; or
(C) the advance, request, or conduct has the
purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or
offensive working environment in the legislature.
(16) "Social media platform" has the meaning assigned
by Section 120.001, Business & Commerce Code.
SECTION 4. Subchapter A, Chapter 305, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 305.0031 to read as follows:
Sec. 305.0031. SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING REQUIRED. (a)
Each person required to register under this chapter shall:
(1) complete a sexual harassment training program
approved by the commission before the date the person files an
initial or renewal registration under Section 305.005; and
(2) submit, as part of the person's registration,
documentation evidencing completion of the program.
(b) For purposes of Subsection (a)(1), the commission may
approve a sexual harassment training program that is made available
by a house of the legislature to members, officers, and employees of
that house.
(c) The commission may adopt rules as necessary to implement
this section.
SECTION 5. Section 305.006, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:
(c-1) A communication published on a social media platform
is considered a mass media communication for purposes of Subsection
(c).
SECTION 6. Section 571.064(b), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) If a law administered and enforced by the commission
sets dollar amounts or categories of amounts as reporting
thresholds or if the commission sets those amounts, the commission
[annually] shall decennially adjust those thresholds upward to the
nearest multiple of $100 [$10] in accordance with the percentage
increase for the preceding 10 years [previous year] in the Consumer
Price Index for Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the United States Department of Labor.
SECTION 7. Section 257.003, Election Code, as amended by
this Act, applies only to a report that is required to be filed
under that section on or after the effective date of this Act. A
report that is required to be filed under that section before the
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the
date the report is required to be filed, and the former law is
continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 8. (a) Not later than November 1, 2023, the Texas
Ethics Commission shall approve at least one sexual harassment
training program for purposes of Section 305.0031, Government Code,
as added by this Act.
(b) An individual who, on November 1, 2023, is registered
under Chapter 305, Government Code, shall complete the initial
training required by Section 305.0031(a)(1), Government Code, as
added by this Act, not later than December 1, 2023.
SECTION 9. Section 305.006, Government Code, as amended by
this Act, applies only to a report required to be filed under that
section on or after January 1, 2024.
SECTION 10. The changes in law made by this Act to Section
571.064(b), Government Code, do not affect an adjustment made by
the Texas Ethics Commission under that subsection before the
effective date of this Act. An adjustment made before the effective
date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the
adjustment was made, and the former law is continued in effect for
that purpose.
SECTION 11. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.