Advisory Opinion Requests
AOR-472.
The Texas Ethics Commission has
been asked to consider whether a judicial candidate's repayment of a campaign
loan counts toward the candidate's expenditure limit under the Judicial Campaign
Fairness Act.
AOR-473.
The Texas Ethics Commission has
been asked to consider the following question: Is it permissible, under the
laws subject to interpretation by the Texas Ethics Commission, for a member
of the Texas Legislature to serve as a commissioned sales representative for
a pharmaceutical company?
AOR-474.
A member of the legislature has
asked whether he may use political contributions to pay certain expenses in
connection with a vehicle used for personal purposes and for campaign and
officeholder purposes. The legislator's specific proposal is to use political
contributions to pay a portion of the principal and interest payments, maintenance
costs and insurance premiums. The amount paid from political contributions
would be based on a comparison of total mileage to the mileage attributable
to campaign and officeholder purposes.
AOR-475.
A member of the legislature has
asked if it is permissible, under the laws subject to interpretation by the
Texas Ethics Commission, for a member of the Texas Legislature who is also
a member of the Senate Economic Development Committee:
1) to use officeholder funds to accompany a trade mission organized and
led by the Texas Department of Economic Development's Office of International
Business for the purpose of establishing business interests between foreign
interests and Texas businessmen. The role of the member would be to observe
the agency's activities and facilitate its efforts by dialoging with comparable
government officials and dignitaries;
2) to accept payment of the member's travel and lodging expenses from
one or several of the companies who will be participating in the trade mission
to fulfill the role stated in item 1); or
3) to accept compensation and travel expenses, as a private citizen, for
actively participating in the trade mission as a company representative charged
with establishing specific business relationships, rather than simply dialoguing
with comparable government officials and dignitaries as a representative of
the state as a whole.
The Texas Ethics Commission is authorized by section 571.091 of the Government
Code to issue advisory opinions in regard to the following statutes: (1) Chapter
572, Government Code; (2) Chapter 302, Government Code; (3) Chapter 303, Government
Code; (4) Chapter 305, Government Code; (5) Chapter 2004, Government Code;
(6) Title 15, Election Code; (7) Chapter 36, Penal Code; and (8) Chapter 39,
Penal Code.
Questions on particular submissions should be addressed to the Texas Ethics
Commission, P.O. Box 12070, Capitol Station, Austin, Texas 78711-2070, (512)
463-5800.
TRD-200005005
Tom Harrison
Executive Director
Texas Ethics Commission
Filed: July 20, 2000
EAO-428.
Whether a legislator is subject
to any reporting requirements or restrictions in connection with gifts and
invitations to the legislator's child. (AOR-471)
SUMMARY.
The expenditure reporting requirements
in the lobby law apply only to expenditures made to communicate with an officer
or employee of the legislative or executive branch of state government to
influence legislative or administrative action.
The expenditure restrictions in the lobby law apply regardless of whether
an expenditure is made to communicate with an officer or employee of the legislative
or executive branch of state government to influence legislative or administrative
action.
EAO-429.
Whether a judicial candidate's repayment
of a campaign loan counts toward the candidate's expenditure limit under the
Judicial Campaign Fairness Act. (AOR-472)
SUMMARY.
A disbursement made to repay all
or part of the principal of a campaign loan does not count as an expenditure
for purposes of the expenditure limits in the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act.
Questions on particular submissions should be addressed to the Texas Ethics
Commission, P.O. Box 12070, Capitol Station, Austin, Texas 78711-2070, (512)
463-5800.
TRD-200005004
Tom Harrison
Executive Director
Texas Ethics Commission
Filed: July 20, 2000
Opinions