(a) To minimize the potential for conflicts of interest in the peer review of grant applications, the council may select and compensate individuals who live and work outside of the state of Texas to serve as peer review panel members, unless a special need justifies selecting one or more individuals living or working in Texas.
(b) If an individual who lives or works in Texas is selected to serve as a peer review panel member, the director must provide an explanation of the special need and how any potential for conflict of interest will be mitigated to the council at the time the peer review panel member is selected.
(c) A peer review panel member shall immediately disclose to the director a present relationship with a grant applicant or any benefit the peer review panel member has received or knows the member will receive from a grant applicant.
(d) A peer review panel member who has a present relationship with a grant applicant, or has received or knows the member will receive any benefit from a grant applicant, may not review that grant application.

Source Note: The provisions of this §16.206 adopted to be effective July 10, 2023, 48 TexReg 3700