Bill Text: TX SB932 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to ethics and accountability of certain public employees, public officers, political contributors, state contractors, and grant recipients; providing penalties.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-12 - Referred to State Affairs [SB932 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-SB932-Introduced.html
  83R1119 ATP-D
 
  By: Davis S.B. No. 932
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to ethics and accountability of certain public employees,
  public officers, political contributors, state contractors, and
  grant recipients; providing penalties.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  The heading to Subchapter D, Chapter 253,
  Election Code, is amended to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER D. CORPORATIONS, [AND] LABOR ORGANIZATIONS, AND CERTAIN
  OTHER PERSONS
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter D, Chapter 253, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 253.105 and 253.106 to read as follows:
         Sec. 253.105.  CONTRIBUTION BY STATE CONTRACTOR. (a) This
  section applies to an individual who submits a competitive bid or
  proposal for a contract with a state agency as:
               (1)  an individual;
               (2)  a partner or owner of a privately held business; or
               (3)  a board member or executive officer of a business.
         (b)  An individual described by Subsection (a) may not make a
  political contribution to a candidate for a statewide office,
  statewide officeholder, or specific-purpose committee for
  supporting or opposing a candidate for statewide office or
  assisting a statewide officeholder during the period:
               (1)  beginning on the date the bid or proposal is
  submitted; and
               (2)  ending on:
                     (A)  the date the contract is awarded to another
  person; or
                     (B)  if the individual or the individual's
  business is awarded the contract, the 30th day after the date the
  contract is awarded.
         Sec. 253.106.  CONTRIBUTION BY COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED OR
  ADMINISTERED BY STATE CONTRACTOR. (a) This section applies to a
  corporation that submits a competitive bid or proposal for a
  contract with a state agency.
         (b)  A general-purpose committee established or administered
  by a corporation described by Subsection (a) may not make a
  political contribution to a candidate for a statewide office,
  statewide officeholder, or specific-purpose committee for
  supporting or opposing a candidate for statewide office or
  assisting a statewide officeholder during the period:
               (1)  beginning on the date the bid or proposal is
  submitted; and
               (2)  ending on:
                     (A)  the date the contract is awarded to another
  person; or
                     (B)  if the corporation is awarded the contract,
  the 30th day after the date the contract is awarded.
         SECTION 3.  Chapter 253, Election Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter G to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER G. APPOINTED OFFICERS
         Sec. 253.201.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Appointed officer" means:
                     (A)  the secretary of state;
                     (B)  an individual appointed with the advice and
  consent of the senate to the governing board of a state-supported
  institution of higher education; or
                     (C)  an officer of a state agency who is appointed
  for a term of office specified by the Texas Constitution or a
  statute of this state.
               (2)  "Election cycle" means the period beginning on
  January 1 of an odd-numbered year and ending on December 31 of the
  following even-numbered year.
         Sec. 253.202.  CONTRIBUTION LIMIT. (a) An appointed officer
  may not knowingly make or authorize political contributions that in
  the aggregate exceed $10,000 in an election cycle.
         (b)  A contribution by the spouse of an appointed officer is
  considered to be a contribution by the officer.
         Sec. 253.203.  CERTAIN DIRECT CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURES
  CONSIDERED CONTRIBUTION TO CANDIDATE. For purposes of Section
  253.202, a direct campaign expenditure is considered to be a
  campaign contribution to a candidate if it is made with the
  cooperation or prior consent of, in consultation with, or at the
  suggestion of:
               (1)  the candidate;
               (2)  a specific-purpose committee for supporting the
  candidate or opposing the candidate's opponent; or
               (3)  a person acting with the candidate's knowledge and
  consent.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter F, Chapter 401, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 401.106 and 401.107 to read as follows:
         Sec. 401.106.  MANDATORY RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULE. The
  records retention schedule adopted by the office of the governor in
  compliance with Section 441.185 must:
               (1)  apply to all offices within the office of the
  governor and all trusteed programs within the office of the
  governor; and
               (2)  provide that all records must be retained for at
  least 30 days after the record is created or altered.
         Sec. 401.107.  REPORT OF FUNDING. (a) The governor shall
  post on the office of the governor's Internet website information
  relating to each fund administered by the office of the governor,
  including by any office within the office of the governor and as any
  trusteed program within the office of the governor.
         (b)  Information posted under this section must include:
               (1)  the amount of any disbursement or grant from the
  fund;
               (2)  to whom any disbursements or grants from the fund
  were made; and
               (3)  the purpose of the disbursement or grant.
         (c)  The information must be updated at least quarterly.
         SECTION 5.  Section 481.078, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (n) to read as follows:
         (n)  Not later than January 1 of each year, the governor
  shall submit to the legislature and post on the office of the
  governor's Internet website a report that includes the following
  information regarding the fund for the preceding three state fiscal
  years:
               (1)  the total number and amount of grants made from the
  fund; and
               (2)  the name of each grant recipient and the amount of
  the grant awarded to the recipient.
         SECTION 6.  Section 572.002, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subdivision (5-a) to read as follows:
               (5-a)  "Member of the governor's executive staff" means
  a person employed by the governor acting in the governor's official
  capacity whose regular job duties include:
                     (A)  formulating policy or testifying before and
  meeting with members of the legislature; or
                     (B)  supervising other employees in the
  governor's office whose regular job duties include those described
  by Paragraph (A).
         SECTION 7.  Section 572.021, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 572.021.  FINANCIAL STATEMENT REQUIRED. Except as
  provided by Section 572.0211, a state officer, a partisan or
  independent candidate for an office as an elected officer, a member
  of the governor's executive staff, and a state party chair shall
  file with the commission a verified financial statement complying
  with Sections 572.022 through 572.0252.
         SECTION 8.  The heading to Section 572.026, Government Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 572.026.  FILING DATES FOR STATE OFFICERS, GOVERNOR'S
  EXECUTIVE STAFF, AND STATE PARTY CHAIRS.
         SECTION 9.  Section 572.026, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (e) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  Not later than April 30 each year, a state officer, a
  member of the governor's executive staff, or a state party chair
  shall file the financial statement as required by this subchapter.
         (e)  An individual who is employed as a member of the
  governor's executive staff shall file a financial statement not
  later than the 45th day after the date the individual assumes the
  duties of the position. The governor or representative of the
  governor shall immediately notify the commission of the employment
  of a member of the governor's executive staff.
         SECTION 10.  The heading to Section 572.054, Government
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 572.054.  REPRESENTATION BY FORMER OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE
  OF GOVERNOR OR REGULATORY AGENCY RESTRICTED; CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
         SECTION 11.  Section 572.054, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (b-1) and (b-2) to read as follows:
         (b-1)  A member of the governor's executive staff who ceases
  employment with the governor may not make any communication to or
  appearance before the governor or a member of the governor's
  executive staff, if the communication or appearance is made with
  the intent to influence and on behalf of any person in connection
  with any matter on which the person seeks official action, before
  the second anniversary of the date the employment ceased.
         (b-2)  A member of the governor's executive staff who before
  employment with the governor represented a person or received
  compensation for services rendered on behalf of a person on a
  particular matter may not be involved with the particular matter as
  a member of the governor's executive staff before the second
  anniversary of the date the member begins employment with the
  governor.
         SECTION 12.  Subchapter C, Chapter 572, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 572.062 to read as follows:
         Sec. 572.062.  SOLICITATION OF OR RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING
  POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS. (a) In this section, "political
  contribution" has the meaning assigned by Section 251.001, Election
  Code.
         (b)  An appointed officer of a regulatory agency may not, on
  behalf of the officer or another person, solicit a political
  contribution from or recommend the making of a political
  contribution by a person regulated by the regulatory agency.
         SECTION 13.  (a) Sections 253.105 and 253.106, Election
  Code, as added by this Act, apply only to a competitive bid or
  proposal for a contract with a state agency for which notice is
  given on or after September 1, 2013. A bid or proposal for a
  contract for which notice is given before September 1, 2013, is
  governed by the law in effect when the notice was given, and the
  former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         (b)  Subchapter G, Chapter 253, Election Code, as added by
  this Act, applies only to a political contribution or direct
  campaign expenditure made on or after September 1, 2013. A
  political contribution or direct campaign expenditure made before
  September 1, 2013, is governed by the law in effect at the time the
  contribution or expenditure was made and is not aggregated with
  political contributions or direct campaign expenditures made on or
  after that date.
         (c)  The changes in law made by this Act to Subchapter B,
  Chapter 572, Government Code, requiring a member of the governor's
  executive staff to file a personal financial statement apply
  beginning January 1, 2014. A member of the governor's executive
  staff is not required to include financial activity occurring
  before January 1, 2014, in a personal financial statement under
  that subchapter. A member of the governor's executive staff shall
  file the first personal financial statement as required by this Act
  on or before April 30, 2015.
         (d)  Section 572.054(b-1), Government Code, as added by this
  Act, applies only to a member of the governor's executive staff who
  ceases employment with the governor on or after September 1, 2013.
  A member of the governor's executive staff who ceases employment
  with the governor before September 1, 2013, is governed by the law
  in effect when the member ceased employment, and the former law is
  continued in effect for that purpose.
         (e)  Section 572.054(b-2), Government Code, as added by this
  Act, applies only to a member of the governor's executive staff who
  begins employment with the governor on or after September 1, 2013.
  A member of the governor's executive staff who begins employment
  with the governor before September 1, 2013, is governed by the law
  in effect when the member began employment, and the former law is
  continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 14.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
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