89R18384 TYPED     By: Shaheen H.B. No. 1555       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the creation of a select interim committee to review and   make recommendations for substantive changes to ethics laws.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  INTERIM STUDY REGARDING ETHICS LAWS. (a)  A   select interim committee is created to study and review the   statutes and regulations related to ethics, including campaign   finance laws, lobby laws, and personal financial disclosure laws.          (b)  The study must consider:                (1)  the purposes of the current laws and whether the   laws accomplish those purposes;                (2)  the effectiveness of the current laws; and                (3)  what changes, if any, should be made to more   effectively accomplish the purposes of the laws.          (c)  The committee is composed of:                (1)  four members appointed by the lieutenant governor   as follows:                      (A)  three senators, one of whom the lieutenant   governor shall designate as co-chair of the committee; and                      (B)  one member of the public;                (2)  four members appointed by the speaker of the house   of representatives as follows:                      (A)  three state representatives, one of whom the   speaker shall designate as co-chair of the committee; and                      (B)  one member of the public; and                (3)  the presiding officer of the Texas Ethics   Commission on the effective date of this Act.          (d)  The committee shall convene at the call of the   co-chairs.          (e)  The committee has all other powers and duties provided   to a special or select committee by the rules of the senate and the   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 December 20, 2026, 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 and the speaker of the house of   representatives 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 December 21, 2026.          SECTION 3.  EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September   1, 2025.