PROHIBITION AGAINST ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS, GRATUITIES, AND OTHER THINGS OF VALUE; EXCEPTION

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person who is a member of the commission or an employee of the department may not accept a gift, gratuity, or other thing of value, including travel, from a person who: (1) is employed by or participates in the management of a business entity or other organization that receives funds from the department; (2) owns or controls, directly or indirectly, more than a 10 percent interest in a business entity or other organization that receives funds from the department; (3) is a person a significant portion of whose business consists of furnishing goods or services to an entity or organization described by Subdivision (1) or (2); or (4) is an agent, representative, attorney, employee, officer, owner, director, or partner of an entity, organization, or person described by Subdivision (1), (2), or (3). (b) A department employee may accept reimbursement for travel expenses from the official nonprofit partner designated by the commission under Section 11.205 if: (1) the employee has sufficiently documented the expense; and (2) the expense arose out of the performance of an activity related to an employee's official duties regarding the partner.