Sec. 571.0271.  COMMISSION MEMBER TRAINING.  (a)  A person who is appointed to and qualifies for office as a member of the commission may not vote, deliberate, or be counted as a member in attendance at a meeting of the commission until the person completes a training program that complies with this section.
(b)  The training program must provide the person with information regarding:
(1)  the legislation that created the commission;
(2)  the programs operated by the commission;
(3)  the role and functions of the commission;
(4)  the rules of the commission, with an emphasis on the rules that relate to disciplinary and investigatory authority;
(5)  the current budget for the commission;
(6)  the results of the most recent formal audit of the commission;
(7)  the requirements of:
(A)  the open meetings law, Chapter 551;
(B)  the public information law, Chapter 552;
(C)  the administrative procedure law, Chapter 2001;  and
(D)  other laws relating to public officials, including conflict-of-interest laws;  and
(8)  any applicable ethics policies adopted by the commission.
(c)  A person appointed to the commission is entitled to reimbursement, as provided by the General Appropriations Act, for the travel expenses incurred in attending the training program regardless of whether the attendance at the program occurs before or after the person qualifies for office.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 249, Sec. 1.06, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.