By: Geren H.B. No. 1532
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
rela
ting to quarterly reporting of political contributions and
expenditures by certain candidates, officeholders, and political
committees; adding provisions subject to a criminal penalty.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 252.0011(d), Election Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(d) Subsection (c) applies to a person who is the campaign
treasurer of a general-purpose committee regardless of whether the
committee files quarterly or files monthly reports under Section
254.155. For purposes of this subsection, political contributions
accepted and political expenditures made during each month of a
[monthly] reporting period are aggregated with political
contributions accepted and political expenditures made in each
other month of the [monthly] reporting period that corresponds to
the semiannual reporting period that contains those months.
SECTION 2. Section 254.031, Election Code, is amended by
adding Subsections (c), (d), and (e) to read as follows:
(c) For a person who files quarterly reports under this
chapter, the threshold amounts provided by Subsection (a) shall be
divided by two. The commission shall adopt rules to implement this
subsection.
(d) If a candidate or officeholder, or any other person,
loans money to the campaign of a candidate or officeholder who files
quarterly reports under this chapter, the candidate or officeholder
shall, at the time the candidate or officeholder reports the loan,
provide the authority with whom the candidate or officeholder is
required to file reports under this chapter with evidence that the
money was actually deposited in an account in which the candidate or
officeholder holds political contributions.
(e) Evidence submitted under Subsection (d) is considered
part of a report for purposes of public inspection under Section
254.0402.
SECTION 3. Section 254.0405, Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 254.0405. AMENDMENT OF FILED REPORT. (a) A person
who files a quarterly or semiannual report under this chapter may
amend the report.
(b) A quarterly or semiannual report that is amended before
the eighth day after the date the original report was filed is
considered to have been filed on the date on which the original
report was filed.
(c) A quarterly or semiannual report that is amended on or
after the eighth day after the original report was filed is
considered to have been filed on the date on which the original
report was filed if:
(1) the amendment is made before any complaint is
filed with regard to the subject of the amendment; and
(2) the original report was made in good faith and
without an intent to mislead or to misrepresent the information
contained in the report.
SECTION 4. Section 254.041(d), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(d) It is an exception to the application of Subsection
(a)(3) that:
(1) the information was required to be included in a
quarterly or semiannual report; and
(2) the person amended the report within the time
prescribed by Section 254.0405(b) or under the circumstances
described by Section 254.0405(c).
SECTION 5. The heading to Section 254.063, Election Code,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 254.063. SEMIANNUAL REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR CERTAIN
CANDIDATES [CANDIDATE].
SECTION 6. Section 254.063(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Section 254.0631, a [A] candidate
shall file two reports for each year as provided by this section.
SECTION 7. Subchapter C, Chapter 254, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 254.0631 to read as follows:
Sec. 254.0631. QUARTERLY REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR CANDIDATE
FOR OFFICE OF STATE GOVERNMENT. (a) A candidate for a statewide
office or for the office of state representative or state senator
shall file four reports for each year as provided by this section.
(b) The first report shall be filed not later than April 15.
The report covers the period beginning January 1, the day the
candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through March
31.
(c) The second report shall be filed not later than July 15.
The report covers the period beginning April 1, the day the
candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through June
30.
(d) The third report shall be filed not later than October
15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the
candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
September 30.
(e) The fourth report shall be filed not later than January
15. The report covers the period beginning October 1, the day the
candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
December 31.
SECTION 8. The heading to Section 254.093, Election Code,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 254.093. SEMIANNUAL REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR CERTAIN
OFFICEHOLDERS [OFFICEHOLDER].
SECTION 9. Section 254.093(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Section 254.0931, an [An]
officeholder shall file two reports for each year as provided by
this section.
SECTION 10. Subchapter D, Chapter 254, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 254.0931 to read as follows:
Sec. 254.0931. QUARTERLY REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR HOLDER OF
OFFICE OF STATE GOVERNMENT. (a) A holder of a statewide office, a
state representative, or a state senator shall file four reports
for each year as provided by this section.
(b) The first report shall be filed not later than April 15.
The report covers the period beginning January 1, the day the
officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period
covered by the last report required to be filed under this
subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through March 31.
(c) The second report shall be filed not later than July 15.
The report covers the period beginning April 1, the day the
officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period
covered by the last report required to be filed under this
subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through June 30.
(d) The third report shall be filed not later than October
15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the
officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period
covered by the last report required to be filed under this
subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through September 30.
(e) The fourth report shall be filed not later than January
15. The report covers the period beginning October 1, the day the
officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period
covered by the last report required to be filed under this
subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through December 31.
SECTION 11. The heading to Section 254.123, Election Code,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 254.123. SEMIANNUAL REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR CERTAIN
COMMITTEES [COMMITTEE].
SECTION 12. Section 254.123(a), Election Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Section 254.1231, the [The]
campaign treasurer of a specific-purpose committee shall file two
reports for each year as provided by this section.
SECTION 13. Subchapter E, Chapter 254, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 254.1231 to read as follows:
Sec. 254.1231. QUARTERLY REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR COMMITTEES
WITH PURPOSE RELATED TO OFFICE OF STATE GOVERNMENT. (a) A
specific-purpose committee supporting or opposing a candidate for a
statewide office or the office of state representative or state
senator, or assisting a holder of a statewide office, a state
representative, or a state senator shall file four reports for each
year as provided by this section.
(b) The first report shall be filed not later than April 15.
The report covers the period beginning January 1, the day the
committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through March
31.
(c) The second report shall be filed not later than July 15.
The report covers the period beginning April 1, the day the
committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through June
30.
(d) The third report shall be filed not later than October
15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the
committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
September 30.
(e) The fourth report shall be filed not later than January
15. The report covers the period beginning October 1, the day the
committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
December 31.
SECTION 14. Section 254.153, Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 254.153. QUARTERLY [SEMIANNUAL] REPORTING SCHEDULE
FOR COMMITTEE. (a) The campaign treasurer of a general-purpose
committee shall file four [two] reports for each year as provided by
this section.
(b) The first report shall be filed not later than April
[July] 15. The report covers the period beginning January 1, the
day the committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the
first day after the period covered by the last report required to be
filed under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
March 31 [June 30].
(c) The second report shall be filed not later than July
[January] 15. The report covers the period beginning April [July]
1, the day the committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed,
or the first day after the period covered by the last report
required to be filed under this subchapter, as applicable, and
continuing through June 30 [December 31].
(d) The third report shall be filed not later than October
15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the
committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
September 30.
(e) The fourth report shall be filed not later than January
15. The report covers the period beginning October 1, the day the
committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
December 31.
SECTION 15. Section 254.184(b), Election Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) A candidate or committee filing under this subchapter is
not required to file any reports of political contributions and
political expenditures other than the required quarterly or
semiannual reports [required to be filed not later than July 15 and
January 15].
SECTION 16. This Act takes effect January 1, 2016.