Advisory Opinion Requests
AOR-453.
The Texas Ethics Commission has
been asked to consider the following questions about outside activities by
a member of the board of a state commission:
(1) May a member of the commission serve with or without compensation as
an instructor in a course offered by a provider regulated by the commission?;
(2) May a member of the commission serve with or without compensation as
an instructor in a course offered by a provider who is not regulated by the
commission but whose courses are approved as meeting statutory course content
requirements?;
(3) Would the answer to either question vary if the members of the commission
adopted a policy under which a member who had served as an instructor would
excuse himself or herself from participation in any deliberation before the
membership involving the provider of the particular course?; and
(4) Would the answer to either question vary if the member received reimbursement
for travel and lodging expenses from the provider for serving as an instructor?
AOR-454.
The Ethics Commission has been asked
to consider whether a political committee may issue checks to members of the
legislature to replace checks that were given to members before the beginning
of the moratorium provided for in Election Code §253.034. The checks
had been written on a closed account.
TRD-9900919
Tom Harrison
Executive Director
Texas Ethics Commission
Filed: February 12, 1999