Sec. 351.059. TRAINING. (a) The board shall establish a training program for the members of the board in consultation with the governor, the attorney general, and the Texas Ethics Commission.

(b) A person who is appointed to and qualifies for office as a board member may not vote, deliberate, or be counted as a member in attendance at a board meeting until the person completes a training program that complies with this section.

(c) The training program must provide the person with information regarding:

(1) the law governing board operations;

(2) the board's programs, functions, rules, and budget;

(3) the scope of and limitations on the rulemaking authority of the board;

(4) the types of board rules, interpretations, and enforcement actions that may implicate federal antitrust law by limiting competition or impacting prices charged by persons engaged in a profession or business the board regulates, including rules, interpretations, and enforcement actions that:

(A) regulate the scope of practice of persons in a profession or business the board regulates;

(B) restrict advertising by persons in a profession or business the board regulates;

(C) affect the price of goods or services provided by persons in a profession or business the board regulates; and

(D) restrict participation in a profession or business the board regulates;

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

(6) the requirements of:

(A) laws relating to open meetings, public information, administrative procedures, and disclosure of conflicts-of-interest; and

(B) other laws applicable to members of the board in performing their duties; and

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

(d) A person appointed to the board is entitled to reimbursement, as provided by the General Appropriations Act, for travel expenses incurred in attending a training program under this section, regardless of whether the attendance at the program occurs before or after the person qualifies for office.

(e) The executive director of the board shall create a training manual that includes the information required by Subsection (c). The executive director shall distribute a copy of the training manual annually to each board member. On receipt of the training manual, each board member shall sign and submit to the executive director a statement acknowledging receipt of the training manual.

Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.

Amended by:

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 101 (H.B. 1025), Sec. 1.007, eff. September 1, 2005.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 385 (S.B. 314), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2017.