HB 1034

relating to the reimbursement by certain elected officers of state
money used to pay the out-of-state travel and security costs of
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;
(4)  the purpose of the travel; and
(5)  the use to which the state-funded transportation
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
SECTION 2.  Section 571.061(a), Government Code, is amended
(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
(3)  Title 15, Election Code; and
(4)  Sections 2152.064 and 2155.003.
SECTION 3.  Section 571.091(a), Government Code, is amended
(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
(6)  Subchapter C, Chapter 159, Local Government Code,
as provided by Section 571.061(a)(2);
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.