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.

Opinions
AOR-370. The Ethics Commission has been asked to consider the following 
questions:  A. May a specific purpose PAC own a business interest or be a 
business representative of a national concern that pays sales commissions? 
Specifically individuals under the PAC would sell services and the PAC would 
receive a portion of the commission. B. Secondarily, some of the services might 
be sold to corporations who would receive a service and in turn the PAC would 
receive a small percentage commission off the service.
AOR-371. The Texas Ethics Commission has been asked to consider several 
questions about the application of section 572.024 of the Government Code, which 
requires a state officer to report information about fees the state officer 
receives "for services rendered by the officer to or on behalf of a person 
required to be registered under [the lobby law] or to or on behalf of a person 
or entity that the officer actually knows directly compensates or reimburses a 
person required to be registered under [the lobby law.]"
AOR-372. The Texas Ethics Commission has been asked to consider whether 
contributions to a legal defense fund are "political contributions" under title 
15 of the Election Code and whether such contributions are permissible under 
section 36.08 of the Penal Code.
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 305, 
Government Code; (4) Title 15, Election Code; (5) Chapter 36, Penal Code; and 
(6) Chapter 39, Penal Code.
Issued in Austin, Texas on June 25, 1996.
TRD-9609214
Tom Harrison
Executive Director
Texas Ethics Commission