TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION
The Texas Ethics Commission is authorized by Government Code, sec.571.091, to 
issue advisory opinions in regard to the following statutes: the Government 
Code, Chapter 302; the Government Code, Chapter 305; the Government Code, 
Chapter 572; the Election Code, Title 15; the Penal Code, Chapter 36; and the 
Penal Code, Chapter 39.
Requests for copies of the full text of opinions or questions on particular 
submissions should be addressed to the Office of the Texas Ethics Commission, 
P.O. Box 12070, Austin, Texas 78711-2070, (512) 463-5800.

Texas Ethics Commission
Advisory Opinion Requests
AOR-290 The Texas Ethics Commission has been asked to consider whether a 
legislator may use a laptop computer owned by the state for personal purposes. 
The request letter asks whether the portability of the laptop computer makes it 
different from a desktop computer for purposes of the restrictions on personal 
use of state property.
AOR-291 The Texas Ethics Commission has been asked to answer the following two 
questions.
1. Would county officials violate Texas Penal Code, sec.36.08(d) by accepting 
payment of lodging, meals and transportation expenses from a prospective vendor 
to attend an out-of-county presentation and demonstration of computer 
equipment/computer system, if such expenses would be otherwise reimbursable by 
the County (with the exception of such meal expenses, if any, that exceed the 
County's daily allotment for meals)?
2. Regardless of the answer to (1) previously listed, does the Texas Penal Code, 
sec.36.10(b) exclude from the applicability of sec.36.08 the payment of food, 
lodging and transportation by the prospective vendor because the county 
officials are accepting the same as "guests" of the donor?
Issued in Austin, Texas, on April 12, 1995.
TRD-9504532
Sarah Woelk
Director, Advisory Opinions
Texas Ethics Commission
Filed: April 12, 1995