Texas Government Code 305.0061 – Detailed Reports
(a) If a registrant or a person on the registrant’s behalf and with the registrant’s consent or ratification makes expenditures that exceed 60 percent of the amount of the legislative per diem in a day for transportation or lodging for a member of the legislative or executive branch, the registrant shall also state the following on the report filed under Section 305.006:
(1) the name of the member of the legislative or executive branch in whose behalf the expenditure is made;
(2) the place and date of the transportation or lodging; and
(3) the purpose of the transportation or lodging.
(b) If a registrant or a person on the registrant’s behalf and with the registrant’s consent or ratification makes expenditures that exceed 60 percent of the amount of the legislative per diem in a day for food and beverages for a member of the legislative or executive branch or makes expenditures that exceed 60 percent of the amount of the legislative per diem in a day for entertainment for a member of the legislative or executive branch or for the immediate family of a member of the legislative or executive branch, the registrant shall also state the following on the report filed under Section 305.006:
(1) the name of the member of the legislative or executive branch in whose behalf the expenditure is made;
(2) the place and date of the expenditure; and
(3) the amount of the expenditure by the appropriate category of the amount, as determined by the commission.
Terms Used In Texas Government Code 305.0061
- Charity: An agency, institution, or organization in existence and operating for the benefit of an indefinite number of persons and conducted for educational, religious, scientific, medical, or other beneficent purposes.
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
- Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
- United States: includes a department, bureau, or other agency of the United States of America. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) If a registrant or a person on the registrant’s behalf and with the registrant’s consent or ratification gives to a member of the legislative or executive branch a gift or an award or memento, the value of which exceeds $50 per gift, award, or memento, the registrant shall also state the following on the report filed under Section 305.006:
(1) the name of the member of the legislative or executive branch in whose behalf the expenditure is made;
(2) a general description of the gift, award, or memento; and
(3) the amount of the expenditure by the appropriate category of the amount, as determined by the commission.
(d) If a registrant or a person on the registrant’s behalf and with the registrant’s consent or ratification makes expenditures for the attendance of a member of the legislative or executive branch at a political fund-raiser or charity event, the registrant shall also state the following on the report filed under Section 305.006:
(1) the name of the member of the legislative or executive branch in whose behalf the expenditure is made;
(2) the name of the charity or the name of the candidate or officeholder for whom the political fund-raiser was held, as applicable; and
(3) the date of the fund-raiser or event.
(e) If a registrant or a person on the registrant’s behalf and with the registrant’s consent or ratification makes an expenditure for a gift, award, or memento for a member of the legislative or executive branch in conjunction with an expenditure for the attendance of that member at a political fund-raiser or charity event, the registrant shall report the expenditure for the gift, award, or memento under Subsection (c), if required, and not under Subsection (d).
(e-1) If a registrant or a person on the registrant’s behalf and with the registrant’s consent or ratification makes an expenditure for food or beverages with a value of $50 or less intended as a gift for a member of the legislative or executive branch and delivered by first-class United States mail or by common or contract carrier outside the Capitol Complex, the expenditure is considered to be a gift and should be reported under Section 305.006(b)(4).
(f) If a registrant or a person on the registrant’s behalf with the registrant’s consent or ratification makes an expenditure described by Section 305.006(b)(1), (2), or (3) to communicate directly with more than one member of the legislative or executive branch to influence legislation or administrative action and if the registrant cannot reasonably determine the amount that is directly attributable to a member, the registrant shall apportion the expenditure made by that registrant according to the number of persons in attendance. The registrant shall report as required by Subsection (a), (b), or (c) if the expenditure for each person exceeds the amount provided under Subsection (a), (b), or (c).
(g) In this section, “legislative per diem” means the per diem set by the commission for members of the legislature as provided by Section 24(a), Article III, Texas Constitution.