R-2007-05 adopt legislative Omnibus for the 80th Legislative Session

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REPORT OF THE TML LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE ON GENERAL GOVERNMENT 2006 1. Seek introduction and DaSSa2:e oflegislation that would: A. Provide for the following changes to Chapter 176 of the Texas Local Government Code (conflicts disclosure): 1. Include a de minimus or threshold amount of taxable income that triggers the requirement to file a conflictsdiscIosure statement. 2. Provide a reasonable, statutory retention period for statements and questionnaires. 3. Provide that questionnaires that do not indicate a conflict of interest are not required to be posted on a city's Web site. 4. Provide that interest received :from a personal bank account or other investments is not included in the definition of taxable income. 5. Clarify that political contributions to a city official are not considered a "gift" for purposes of Chapter 176. 6. Clarify that a city has no affirmative duty to ensure vendor compliance, and that the failure of a city to receive a questionnaire does not affect the validity of a contract. 7. Provide an exemption for gifts received from family members. 8. ClarifY that a vendor who is restricted by some other law from filing a questionnaire is not required to do so. 9. Provide that the tenn "contracts or seeks to contract" applies only to written contracts, rather than routine purchases. 10. ClarifY that only the city councilor other body that actually votes to approve contracts entered into by the city are subject to the disclosure requirement. 11. Provide that vendors who have no relationship with any city official' are not required to file a questionnaire unless and until such a relationship becomes known. 12. Provide that a purchase from a cooperative purchasing program is not subject to Chapter 176 requirements. 13. Provide that identifYing information relating to a public official's family members is confidential, as is the case under the Texas Public Information Act.