Nepotism
Consanguinity and Affinity
Consanguinity
The degree of consanguinity is determined by the number of generations between the people involved.
Example
An elected official cannot give a job to:
- His or her parent or child (first degree of consanguinity).
- His or her brother, sister, grandparent or grandchild (second degree).
- His or her great-grandparent, great-grandchild, parents’ brother or sister (his or her aunt or uncle), or siblings’ children (his or her nieces and nephews) (third degree).
Affinity
The first degree of affinity is the relationship between a husband and wife. A relationship by affinity extends only to blood relatives of an individual’s spouse. It does not include a relative-in-law of the individual’s spouse.
Higher degrees of affinity are equal to the degree of consanguinity for the related spouse.
Example:
If your spouse is the sibling of a public official (second degree of consanguinity), you would also be considered related through affinity in the second degree.
Other Examples of Affinity/Consanguinity
If a couple has a child, the marital relationship for affinity continues indefinitely, even after a divorce.
Exception: For a position on a board of trustees or an officer of a school district, the relationship continues only until the youngest child of the marriage reaches age 21.
A district judge is further limited in that he or she may not appoint an official stenographer who is related within the third degree (affinity or consanguinity) to the district judge or to the district attorney of the district.
Source
Texas Government Code, Sections 573.001-573.025, 573.041, 573.043, 573.083, 573.084.