By: Koop, et al.	H.B. No. 1246
	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 1246By:  Estes	By:  Estes
	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 27, 2015;
	April 28, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on State
	Affairs; May 6, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
	Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 6, 2015,
	sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the methods of delivery for required financial
	statement forms sent to certain municipal officeholders and
	candidates for municipal office.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 145.002, Local Government Code, is
	amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 145.002.  DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION]. In this chapter:
	(1)  "Deliver" means transmitting by mail, personal
	delivery, or e-mail or any other means of electronic transfer.
	(2)  "Municipal[, "municipal] officer" means the
	mayor, a member of the governing body, the municipal attorney, or
	the city manager of a municipality.
	SECTION 2.  Section 145.005(b), Local Government Code, is
	amended to read as follows:
	(b)  The clerk or secretary shall deliver at least one copy
	[mail two copies] of the form to each municipal officer or person
	who is appointed to a municipal office who is required to file under
	this chapter within the time prescribed by Section 572.030(c)(1),
	Government Code. The clerk or secretary shall deliver [mail] a copy
	of the form to each candidate for a municipal office filled by
	election who is required to file under this chapter not later than
	the 10th day before the deadline for filing the statement under
	Section 145.004(c). The clerk or secretary may choose one or more
	methods to deliver the form.
	SECTION 3.  Section 145.009(c), Local Government Code, is
	amended to read as follows:
	(c)  It is a defense to prosecution under this section that
	the officer or candidate did not receive copies of the financial
	statement form required to be delivered [mailed] to the officer or
	candidate by this chapter.
	SECTION 4.  Section 145.005(b), Local Government Code, as
	amended by this Act, applies only to a financial statement due on or
	after the effective date of this Act. A financial statement due
	before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
	effect on the date the financial statement was due, and the former
	law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 5.  Section 145.009(c), Local Government Code, as
	amended by this Act, applies only to an offense committed on or
	after the effective date of this Act. An offense committed before
	the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on
	the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued
	in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense
	was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element
	of the offense occurred before that date.
	SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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