Ethics Committee
City of Houston Legal Department
900 Bagby St, 4th Floor
Houston, TX 77009
Contact: Angela Reed
Phone: (832) 393-6382 Fax: (832) 393-6382
Email: Angela.reed@cityofhouston.net
Updated as of: 6/16/2010
LEGAL AUTHORITY FOR CREATION AND OPERATION(City)
City of Houston, Code of Ordinances, Chapter 18, Article II, Sections 18-11 through 18-17.
GENERAL POWER AND DUTIES
The purpose of the Ethics Committee is to administer and implement Chapter 18 of the Code of Ordinances covering ethics and financial disclosure. The Committee shall have the duty and power to review and investigate allegations of impropriety on the part of City officials and candidates for City elective office. The Committee may request that the City Attorney provide legal advice or may request special outside counsel from City Council. For further information as to duties see Section 18-16 City of Houston, Code of Ordinances.
MEETING TIME AND LOCATION
Time and location to be determined by membership.
COMPOSITION
The Ethics Committee shall consist of seven persons of good moral character who shall be adult residents of the City. No member may be an official or employee of the city or be a candidate for such positionThe Mayor shall direct certain organizations to nominate the members of the Committee. The positions shall be filled as follows:
Position 1. By a member of the legal community. The Houston Bar Association shall nominate the person to fill the position from the legal community.
Position 2. By a member of the labor community. The Central Labor Council of the AFL-CIO shall nominate the person to fill the position from the labor community.
Positon 3. By a member of the medical community. The Harris County Medical Society shall nominate a person to fill the position from the medical community.
Positions 4 through 7. By four members from the city community-at-large. The city council shall nominate the persons to fill these four positions.
The City Council shall confirm all nominations for positions on the committee. If any nominee is unable or declines to serve on the committee, or is not confirmed by City Council, the nominating authority shall nominate another person to fill the position. If the nominating authority for Position one, two or three declines to submit a nomination to fill its respective position, either initially or subsequently, or is unable to do so, or fails to do so within 30 days of the request by the Mayor, the City Council shall nominate and confirm a person to fill such vacant position.
QUORUM: Four members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum to transact business.
TERM: The term of office for each position on the Committee shall be two years.
CHAIRPERSON: Annually, upon confirmation of its new members, the Committee shall elect one of its members to serve as chairperson who will preside at all meetings. The Committee shall also elect another of its members to serve as vice-chairperson who shall preside at meetings in the absence of the chairperson.
COMPENSATION: Not specified
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
Entity is NOT included in the financial reporting for the City of Houston.
MEMBER LIST