S.B. No. 585
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to standards of conduct and ethics policies for
  metropolitan planning organizations.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 472.034, Transportation Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 472.034.  STANDARDS OF CONDUCT; ETHICS POLICY.  (a)  A
  policy board member or employee of a metropolitan planning
  organization may not:
               (1)  accept or solicit any gift, favor, or service that
  might reasonably tend to influence the member or employee in the
  discharge of official duties or that the member or employee knows or
  should know is being offered with the intent to influence the
  member's or employee's official conduct;
               (2)  accept other employment or engage in a business or
  professional activity that the member or employee might reasonably
  expect would require or induce the member or employee to disclose
  confidential information acquired by reason of the official
  position;
               (3)  accept other employment or compensation that could
  reasonably be expected to impair the member's or employee's
  independence of judgment in the performance of the member's or
  employee's official duties;
               (4)  make personal investments that could reasonably be
  expected to create a substantial conflict between the member's or
  employee's private interest and the public interest; or
               (5)  intentionally or knowingly solicit, accept, or
  agree to accept any benefit for having exercised the member's or
  employee's official powers or performed the member's or employee's
  official duties in favor of another.
         (b)  An employee of a metropolitan planning organization who
  violates Subsection (a) or an ethics policy adopted under
  Subsection (c) is subject to termination of the employee's
  employment or another employment-related sanction.
  Notwithstanding this subsection, a policy board member or employee
  of a metropolitan planning organization who violates Subsection (a)
  is subject to any applicable civil or criminal penalty if the
  violation also constitutes a violation of another statute or rule.
         (c)  Each policy board shall:
               (1)  adopt bylaws establishing an ethics policy for
  employees of a metropolitan planning organization and policy board
  members consistent with the standards prescribed by Subsection (a),
  including provisions to prevent a policy board member from having a
  conflict of interest in business before the metropolitan planning
  organization; and
               (2)  distribute a copy of the ethics policy to:
                     (A)  each new employee not later than the third
  business day after the date the person begins employment with the
  agency; and
                     (B)  each new policy board member not later than
  the third business day after the date the person qualifies for
  office.
         (d)  If a person with knowledge of a violation of an ethics
  policy established under Subsection (c) that also constitutes a
  criminal offense under another law of this state reports the
  violation to an appropriate prosecuting attorney who concludes that
  there is reasonable basis to initiate an investigation, then, not
  later than the 60th day after the date a person notifies the
  prosecuting attorney under this subsection, the prosecuting
  attorney shall notify the Texas Ethics Commission of the status of
  the prosecuting attorney's investigation of the alleged violation.
  The Texas Ethics Commission shall, on the request of the
  prosecuting attorney, assist the prosecuting attorney in
  investigating the alleged violation.
         (e)  To the extent an employee of a metropolitan planning
  organization is subject to the ethics policy of another
  governmental entity and to the extent that policy conflicts with
  this section, the ethics policy of the other governmental entity
  prevails.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than January 1, 2010, each policy board
  of a metropolitan planning organization shall adopt bylaws
  establishing an ethics policy as required by Subsection (c),
  Section 472.034, Transportation Code, as added by this Act, and
  distribute a copy of the ethics policy to each policy board member
  and employee.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 585 passed the Senate on
  April 23, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 585 passed the House on
  May 25, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 143, Nays 0, two
  present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor