Sec. 508.0362. TRAINING REQUIRED. (a) (1) A person who is appointed to and qualifies for office as a member of the board may not vote, deliberate, or be counted as a member in attendance at a meeting of the board until the person completes at least one course of a training program that complies with this section.

(2) A parole commissioner employed by the board may not vote or deliberate on a matter described by Section 508.0441 until the person completes at least one course of a training program that complies with this section.

(b) A training program must provide information to the person regarding:

(1) the enabling legislation that created the board;

(2) the programs operated by the board;

(3) the role and functions of the board and parole commissioners;

(4) the rules of the board;

(5) the current budget for the board;

(6) the results of the most recent formal audit of the board;

(7) the requirements of the:

(A) open meetings law, Chapter 551;

(B) open records law, Chapter 552; and

(C) administrative procedure law, Chapter 2001;

(8) the requirements of the conflict of interest laws and other laws relating to public officials; and

(9) any applicable ethics policies adopted by the board or the Texas Ethics Commission.

(c) A person appointed to the board 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 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 10.08, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 554, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., 3rd C.S., ch. 3, Sec. 11.08, eff. Jan. 11, 2004.