89R1482 CJC-D     By: Morales of Maverick H.B. No. 1034       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the reimbursement by certain elected officers of state   money used to pay the out-of-state travel and security costs of   those officers.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 5, Government Code, is amended   by adding Chapter 577 to read as follows:   CHAPTER 577. REIMBURSEMENT FOR STATE-FUNDED TRAVEL AND SECURITY          Sec. 577.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:                (1)  "Commission" means the Texas Ethics Commission.                (2)  "Elected officer" means a member of the   legislature or the holder of an office of state government that is   voted on statewide, including a person appointed to fill a vacancy   in such an office. The term does not include the governor.          Sec. 577.002.  DISCLOSURE OF STATE-FUNDED TRAVEL OUTSIDE   THIS STATE. (a) An elected officer who uses state money for   transportation or security for travel outside this state shall file   a disclosure with the commission. A disclosure filed under this   chapter must be filed electronically.          (b)  The disclosure must include:                (1)  the dates on which the travel occurred;                (2)  the locations where the travel occurred;                (3)  the cost of the travel;                (4)  the purpose of the travel; and                (5)  the use to which the state-funded transportation   or security personnel was put.          Sec. 577.003.  DEADLINE FOR FILING DISCLOSURE. An elected   officer shall file a disclosure under this chapter not later than   July 15 for travel ending on or after January 1 and on or before June   30. An elected officer shall file the disclosure not later than   January 15 for travel ending on or after July 1 and on or before   December 31 of the previous year.          Sec. 577.004.  COMMISSION REVIEW; REIMBURSEMENT. (a) The   commission shall review each disclosure filed under this chapter to   determine whether the state-funded transportation or security   described by the disclosure was used for official state business.   The commission must complete the review not later than the 90th day   after the date the disclosure is filed.          (b)  Not later than the 10th day after the date a review is   completed under Subsection (a), the commission shall send written   notice to the elected officer stating whether the commission   determined that the state-funded transportation or security was   used for official state business.          (c)  An elected officer receiving notice under Subsection   (b) that the state-funded transportation or security was not used   for official state business shall reimburse the state for the cost   of the travel and security, plus interest calculated at a rate equal   to inflation.          SECTION 2.  Section 571.061(a), Government Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (a)  The commission shall administer and enforce:                (1)  Chapters 302, 303, 305, 572, 577, and 2004;                (2)  Subchapter C, Chapter 159, Local Government Code,   in connection with a county judicial officer, as defined by Section   159.051, Local Government Code, who elects to file a financial   statement with the commission;                (3)  Title 15, Election Code; and                (4)  Sections 2152.064 and 2155.003.          SECTION 3.  Section 571.091(a), Government Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (a)  The commission shall prepare a written opinion   answering the request of a person subject to any of the following   laws for an opinion about the application of any of these laws to   the person in regard to a specified existing or hypothetical   factual situation:                (1)  Chapter 302;                (2)  Chapter 303;                (3)  Chapter 305;                (4)  Chapter 2004;                (5)  Chapter 572;                (6)  Subchapter C, Chapter 159, Local Government Code,   as provided by Section 571.061(a)(2);                (7)  Title 15, Election Code;                (8)  Chapter 36, Penal Code;                (9)  Chapter 39, Penal Code;                (10)  Section 2152.064; [or]                (11)  Section 2155.003; or                (12)  Chapter 577.          SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act applies only   to travel beginning on or after the effective date of this Act.   Travel beginning before the effective date of this Act is governed   by the law in effect on the date the travel began, and the former law   is continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.