Newly appointed finance commission members cannot vote, deliberate, or count as present until they complete the required training.
Sec. 11.110. TRAINING. (a) A person who is appointed to and qualifies for office as a member of the finance commission may not vote, deliberate, or be counted as a member in attendance at a meeting of the finance 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 finance agencies and the finance commission; (2) the programs operated by the finance agencies; (3) the role and functions of the finance agencies; (4) the rules of the finance commission with an emphasis on the rules that relate to disciplinary and investigatory authority; (5) the current budget for the finance agencies; (6) the results of the most recent formal audit of the finance agencies; (7) the requirements of: (A) the open meetings law, Chapter 551, Government Code; (B) the public information law, Chapter 552, Government Code; (C) the administrative procedure law, Chapter 2001, Government Code; and (D) other laws relating to public officials, including conflict-of-interest laws; and (8) any applicable ethics policies adopted by the finance commission or the Texas Ethics Commission. (c) A person appointed to the finance commission is entitled to reimbursement under Section 11.104, as if the person were a member of the finance commission, 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. (d) The commissioner of each finance agency shall create a training manual that includes the information required by Subsection (b) applicable to that commissioner's agency. The commissioner of each finance agency shall distribute a copy of the training manual created under this subsection annually to each member of the finance commission. Each member of the finance commission shall sign and submit to the appropriate commissioner a statement acknowledging that the member received and has reviewed the training manual. (e) Notwithstanding Subsection (d), the commissioner of each finance agency may collaborate and jointly create one training manual that includes the information required by Subsection (b) applicable to each finance agency. Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 867, Sec. 7, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1317 (H.B. 2774), Sec. 28(c), eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 20 (S.B. 614), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2019.