83R7568 CAE-D
By: Turner of Tarrant H.B. No. 1999
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to contributions and expenditures of and contribution and
expenditure reports filed by specific-purpose political
committees; providing civil and criminal penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 253.037, Election Code,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 253.037. RESTRICTIONS ON CONTRIBUTION OR EXPENDITURE
BY POLITICAL [GENERAL-PURPOSE] COMMITTEE.
SECTION 2. Section 253.037(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) A political [general-purpose] committee may not
knowingly make or authorize a political contribution or political
expenditure unless the committee has:
(1) filed its campaign treasurer appointment not later
than the 60th day before the date the contribution or expenditure is
made; and
(2) accepted political contributions from at least 10
persons.
SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 254, Election Code, is
amended by adding Sections 254.1241 through 254.1244 to read as
follows:
Sec. 254.1241. OPTION TO FILE MONTHLY; NOTICE. (a) As an
alternative to filing reports under Sections 254.123 and 254.124, a
specific-purpose committee may file monthly reports.
(b) To be entitled to file monthly reports, the committee
must deliver written notice of the committee's intent to file
monthly to the authority with whom the committee's reports are
required to be filed under this subchapter not earlier than January
1 or later than January 15 of the year in which the committee
intends to file monthly. The notice for a committee formed after
January 15 must be delivered at the time the committee's campaign
treasurer appointment is filed.
(c) A committee that files monthly reports may revert to the
regular filing schedule prescribed by Sections 254.123 and 254.124
by delivering written notice of the committee's intent not earlier
than January 1 or later than January 15 of the year in which the
committee intends to revert to the regular reporting schedule. The
notice must include a report of all political contributions
accepted and all political expenditures made that were not
previously reported.
Sec. 254.1242. CONTENTS OF MONTHLY REPORTS. Each monthly
report filed under this subchapter must comply with Sections
254.031 and 254.121 except that the maximum amount of a political
contribution, expenditure, or loan that is not required to be
individually reported is $10 in the aggregate.
Sec. 254.1243. MONTHLY REPORTING SCHEDULE. (a) The
campaign treasurer of a specific-purpose committee filing monthly
reports shall file a report not later than the fifth day of the
month following the period covered by the report. A report covering
the month preceding an election in which the committee is involved
must be received by the authority with whom the report is required
to be filed not later than the fifth day of the month following the
period covered by the report.
(b) A monthly report covers the period beginning the 26th
day of each month and continuing through the 25th day of the
following month, except that the period covered by the first report
begins January 1 and continues through January 25.
Sec. 254.1244. EXCEPTION TO MONTHLY REPORTING SCHEDULE. If
the campaign treasurer appointment of a specific-purpose committee
filing monthly reports is filed after January 1 of the year in which
monthly reports are filed, the period covered by the first monthly
report begins the day the appointment is filed and continues
through the 25th day of the month in which the appointment is filed
unless the appointment is filed the 25th or a succeeding day of the
month. In that case, the period continues through the 25th day of
the month following the month in which the appointment is filed.
SECTION 4. Section 253.037(a), Election Code, as amended by
this Act, applies only to a political contribution or political
expenditure made on or after September 1, 2013. A contribution or
expenditure made before September 1, 2013, is governed by the law in
effect on the date the contribution or expenditure was made, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 5. The changes in law made by Sections 254.1241
through 254.1244, Election Code, as added by this Act, apply only to
a report of political contributions and expenditures that is
required to be filed on or after September 1, 2013. A report of
contributions and expenditures that is required to be filed before
September 1, 2013, is governed by the law in effect on the date the
report is required to be filed, and the former law is continued in
effect for that purpose.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.