S.B. No. 461 aims to enhance the disclosure requirements regarding relationships between local government officers and vendors. The bill amends several definitions in the Local Government Code, including the term "Agent," which now explicitly includes "a subcontractor and an employee." Additionally, the definition of "Business relationship" has been revised to remove previous exclusions related to transactions regulated by governmental entities and those conducted at publicly available prices. The definition of "Family member" has been updated to reflect relationships within the third degree by consanguinity and the second degree by affinity, as determined by the Government Code. Furthermore, the definition of "Investment income" has been expanded to include income generated from trusts.

The provisions of this bill will only apply to disclosure events occurring on or after January 1, 2026, with prior events governed by the existing law. The bill is set to take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds majority vote from both houses; otherwise, it will take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Local Government Code 176.001 (Local Government Code 176)