Sec. 85.280. STATEMENT BY MEMBER; MEMBER DUTIES. (a) The executive commissioner, the department, and the committee may not be bound by any statement made or action taken by a committee member unless the member makes the statement or takes the action based on specific instructions from the executive commissioner, the department, or the committee.

(b) The committee and committee members may not participate in any legislative activity in the name of the executive commissioner, the department, or the committee unless the committee or committee member obtains approval through the department's legislative process. Committee members may represent themselves or another entity in the legislative process.

(c) A committee member may not accept or solicit a benefit that might reasonably tend to influence the member in the discharge of the member's official duties.

(d) A committee member may not disclose confidential information acquired through the member's service on the committee.

(e) A committee member may not knowingly solicit, accept, or agree to accept a benefit for exercising the member's official powers or duties in favor of another person.

(f) A committee member who has a personal or private interest in a matter pending before the committee shall publicly disclose the fact and may not vote or otherwise participate in the matter.

(g) In this section, "personal or private interest" means a direct pecuniary interest in a matter but does not include a person's engagement in a profession, trade, or occupation if the person's interest is the same as any other person who is similarly engaged in the profession, trade, or occupation.

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 520 (H.B. 2229), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011.