Senator Eliot Shapleigh - El Paso, Texas

 The Harris County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to draft new rules requiring top elected and appointed officials to disclose their personal financial information.

Such filings, required of many elected and appointed public officials across the state, are designed to disclose any stock, business or real estate dealings that could pose conflicts of interest.

County commissioners, the county judge and the county attorney are required by state law to file the documents, but the rule does not apply to other elected officials or staffers who make recommendations regarding taxpayer money.

The court on Tuesday asked the County Attorney's Office to draft an order that would require disclosure for all elected officials, department heads and some mid-level management in key county departments.

"We're looking at trying to get ahead, and be proactive, and do more when it comes to transparency," said Commissioner Sylvia Garcia, who proposed the reform after learning from the Houston Chronicle that other elected officials were not required to disclose the information. "It's important for us to act on this, and do it now, and assure the public."

No private information

If approved, elected officials such as the sheriff, district and civil clerk, tax assessor-collector and constables would have to report their financial information annually.

The Legislature gives large counties the authority to extend the disclosure requirements to county officials and employees.

Dallas, El Paso and Travis counties already have done so.

The disclosures, required of hundreds of city of Houston officials, for example, generally come on forms that are drafted by the Texas Ethics Commission.

They list general financial information, such as owned property, business interests and stocks, but not private information such as bank account numbers or precise dollar values.

The forms, which are more than 30 pages long and can be complicated for local elected officials and candidates, are available for public inspection with a written request.

Support for proposal

Sheriff Tommy Thomas, through a spokesman, has said he would have no problem filing the document, if required.

Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt said he hoped any new disclosure would focus on conflicts related to contracts and contract management.

"That's what the public wants to see," he said. "That's what we ought to disclose."

For now, a majority of the court seems open to Garcia's proposal.

Commissioner El Franco Lee and County Judge Ed Emmett showed support Tuesday.

Commissioners Steve Radack and Jerry Eversole did not speak during a short discussion on the issue.

"All county officials, really, should disclose," Emmett said.

Lee said he did not want any proposal to "cherry pick" some elected officials and not others. Garcia's proposal would require disclosure of all county elected and appointed officials.

"As long as there is a uniform application," Lee said, "I would have no problem with it."