Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB2926 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R10163 ESH-D
2	2	By: Howard of Travis H.B. No. 2926
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the appointment of a campaign treasurer and filing of
8	8	reports of political contributions and expenditures by certain
9	9	candidates.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Section 253.031, Election Code, is amended by
12	12	adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
13	13	(a-1) Subsection (a) does not apply to a candidate who files
14	14	a declaration of intent under Section 254.182 unless the candidate
15	15	exceeds the maximum amount of political contributions or political
16	16	expenditures prescribed by Section 254.181.
17	17	SECTION 2. The heading to Subchapter G, Chapter 254,
18	18	Election Code, is amended to read as follows:
19	19	SUBCHAPTER G. EXEMPTION FROM REPORTING OR MODIFIED REPORTING
20	20	PROCEDURES; $500 MAXIMUM IN CONTRIBUTIONS OR EXPENDITURES
21	21	SECTION 3. Sections 254.181 and 254.182, Election Code, are
22	22	amended to read as follows:
23	23	Sec. 254.181. EXEMPTION FROM REPORTING OR MODIFIED
24	24	REPORTING AUTHORIZED. (a) A candidate required to file reports
25	25	under Subchapter C, including a candidate who has an opponent whose
26	26	name will appear on the ballot, is exempt from filing reports under
27	27	this chapter if the candidate does not intend to accept political
28	28	contributions that in the aggregate exceed $500 or to make
29	29	political expenditures that in the aggregate exceed $500 in
30	30	connection with the election.
31	31	(b) A [An opposed candidate or] specific-purpose committee
32	32	required to file reports under Subchapter [C or] E may file a report
33	33	under this subchapter instead if the [candidate or] committee does
34	34	not intend to accept political contributions that in the aggregate
35	35	exceed $500 or to make political expenditures that in the aggregate
36	36	exceed $500 in connection with the election.
37	37	(c) [(b)] The amount of a filing fee paid by a candidate is
38	38	excluded from the $500 maximum expenditure permitted under
39	39	Subsection (a) [this section].
40	40	Sec. 254.182. DECLARATION OF INTENT REQUIRED. (a) To be
41	41	exempt from filing reports under this chapter, a candidate must
42	42	file a written declaration of intent not to exceed $500 in political
43	43	contributions or political expenditures in the election.
44	44	(b) A candidate who files a campaign treasurer appointment
45	45	must file the declaration of intent with the candidate's campaign
46	46	treasurer appointment. A candidate who does not file a campaign
47	47	treasurer appointment must file the declaration of intent with the
48	48	authority with whom the candidate would otherwise file a campaign
49	49	treasurer appointment.
50	50	(c) To be entitled to file reports under this subchapter, a
51	51	[an opposed candidate or] specific-purpose committee must file with
52	52	the campaign treasurer appointment a written declaration of intent
53	53	not to exceed $500 in political contributions or political
54	54	expenditures in the election.
55	55	(d) [(b)] The declaration of intent must contain a
56	56	statement that the candidate or committee understands that if the
57	57	$500 maximum for contributions and expenditures is exceeded:
58	58	(1) the candidate is required to file a campaign
59	59	treasurer appointment, if the candidate has not previously done so;
60	60	and
61	61	(2) the candidate or committee is required to file
62	62	reports under Subchapter C or E, as applicable.
63	63	SECTION 4. Sections 254.183(a) and (c), Election Code, are
64	64	amended to read as follows:
65	65	(a) A [An opposed] candidate or specific-purpose committee
66	66	that exceeds $500 in political contributions or political
67	67	expenditures in the election shall file reports as required by
68	68	Subchapter C or E, as applicable.
69	69	(c) A report filed under Subsection (b) covers the period:
70	70	(1) beginning on:
71	71	(A) for a candidate who did not previously file a
72	72	campaign treasurer appointment, the day the first political
73	73	contribution is accepted or the first political expenditure is
74	74	made; or
75	75	(B) for a candidate who previously filed a
76	76	campaign treasurer appointment or for a specific-purpose
77	77	committee, the day the candidate's or committee's campaign
78	78	treasurer appointment is filed; and
79	79	(2) continuing through the day the maximum is
80	80	exceeded.
81	81	SECTION 5. Section 254.184, Election Code, is amended to
82	82	read as follows:
83	83	Sec. 254.184. APPLICABILITY OF REGULAR REPORTING
84	84	REQUIREMENTS. (a) Subchapter [C or] E [, as applicable,] applies
85	85	to a [an opposed candidate or] specific-purpose committee filing
86	86	under this subchapter to the extent that that [the appropriate]
87	87	subchapter does not conflict with this subchapter.
88	88	(b) A specific-purpose [candidate or] committee filing
89	89	under this subchapter is not required to file any reports of
90	90	political contributions and political expenditures other than the
91	91	semiannual reports required to be filed not later than July 15 and
92	92	January 15.
93	93	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.