Judges may not hold a significant interest in certain private correctional or rehabilitation facility businesses, and they must report prohibited interests to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Sec. 21.010. FINANCIAL INTEREST IN PRIVATE CORRECTIONAL AND REHABILITATION FACILITIES PROHIBITED. (a) A justice or judge, as applicable, of the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals, a court of appeals, a district court, the business court, a county court, a county court at law, or a statutory probate court may not, on the date the person takes office as a justice or judge or while serving as a justice or judge, have a significant interest in a business entity that owns, manages, or operates: (1) a community residential facility described by Section 508.119; (2) a correctional or rehabilitation facility subject to Chapter 244, Local Government Code; or (3) any other facility intended to accomplish a purpose or provide a service described by Section 508.119(a) to a person convicted of a misdemeanor or felony or found to have engaged in delinquent conduct who is housed in the facility: (A) while serving a sentence of confinement following conviction of an offense or an adjudication of delinquent conduct; or (B) as a condition of community supervision, probation, parole, or mandatory supervision. (b) A justice or judge is considered to have a significant interest in a business entity described by Subsection (a) for purposes of this section if: (1) the justice or judge owns any voting stock or share or has a direct investment in the business entity; or (2) the justice or judge receives money from the business entity. (c) A violation of this section by a justice or judge is considered a violation of Canon 4D(1), Code of Judicial Conduct. A justice or judge who has an interest in a business entity that is prohibited by this section must report the interest to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Added by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 221 (H.B. 62), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2015. Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 678 (H.B. 257), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2017. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 912 (H.B. 40), Sec. 42, eff. September 1, 2025.