Transparency and Conflict of Interest
Effective January 1, 2006, H.B. 914 requires that certain city officials file a “conflicts disclosure statement” if they receive taxable income or certain gifts from any person or business that contracts with a city or is considering doing business with the city. The bill also requires any person or business that contracts with a city or is considering doing business with a city to file a “conflicts of interest questionnaire.” The bill provides that failure to file the statement or questionnaire is punishable as a class C misdemeanor.
More information can be found at the Texas Ethics Commission website.