Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1532 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Geren (Senate Sponsor - Eltife) H.B. No. 1532
2	2	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 14, 2015;
3	3	May 14, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on Business
4	4	and Commerce; May 20, 2015, reported favorably by the following
5	5	vote: Yeas 8, Nays 1; May 20, 2015, sent to printer.)
6	6	Click here to see the committee vote
7	7
8	8
9	9	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
10	10	AN ACT
11	11	relating to quarterly reporting of political contributions and
12	12	expenditures by certain candidates, officeholders, and political
13	13	committees; adding provisions subject to a criminal penalty.
14	14	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
15	15	SECTION 1. Section 252.0011(d), Election Code, is amended
16	16	to read as follows:
17	17	(d) Subsection (c) applies to a person who is the campaign
18	18	treasurer of a general-purpose committee regardless of whether the
19	19	committee files quarterly or files monthly reports under Section
20	20	254.155. For purposes of this subsection, political contributions
21	21	accepted and political expenditures made during each month of a
22	22	[monthly] reporting period are aggregated with political
23	23	contributions accepted and political expenditures made in each
24	24	other month of the [monthly] reporting period that corresponds to
25	25	the semiannual reporting period that contains those months.
26	26	SECTION 2. Section 254.031, Election Code, is amended by
27	27	adding Subsections (c), (d), and (e) to read as follows:
28	28	(c) For a person who files quarterly reports under this
29	29	chapter, the threshold amounts provided by Subsection (a) shall be
30	30	divided by two. The commission shall adopt rules to implement this
31	31	subsection.
32	32	(d) If a candidate or officeholder, or any other person,
33	33	loans money to the campaign of a candidate or officeholder who files
34	34	quarterly reports under this chapter, the candidate or officeholder
35	35	shall, at the time the candidate or officeholder reports the loan,
36	36	provide the authority with whom the candidate or officeholder is
37	37	required to file reports under this chapter with evidence that the
38	38	money was actually deposited in an account in which the candidate or
39	39	officeholder holds political contributions.
40	40	(e) Evidence submitted under Subsection (d) is considered
41	41	part of a report for purposes of public inspection under Section
42	42	254.0402.
43	43	SECTION 3. Section 254.0405, Election Code, is amended to
44	44	read as follows:
45	45	Sec. 254.0405. AMENDMENT OF FILED REPORT. (a) A person
46	46	who files a quarterly or semiannual report under this chapter may
47	47	amend the report.
48	48	(b) A quarterly or semiannual report that is amended before
49	49	the eighth day after the date the original report was filed is
50	50	considered to have been filed on the date on which the original
51	51	report was filed.
52	52	(c) A quarterly or semiannual report that is amended on or
53	53	after the eighth day after the original report was filed is
54	54	considered to have been filed on the date on which the original
55	55	report was filed if:
56	56	(1) the amendment is made before any complaint is
57	57	filed with regard to the subject of the amendment; and
58	58	(2) the original report was made in good faith and
59	59	without an intent to mislead or to misrepresent the information
60	60	contained in the report.
61	61	SECTION 4. Section 254.041(d), Election Code, is amended to
62	62	read as follows:
63	63	(d) It is an exception to the application of Subsection
64	64	(a)(3) that:
65	65	(1) the information was required to be included in a
66	66	quarterly or semiannual report; and
67	67	(2) the person amended the report within the time
68	68	prescribed by Section 254.0405(b) or under the circumstances
69	69	described by Section 254.0405(c).
70	70	SECTION 5. The heading to Section 254.063, Election Code,
71	71	is amended to read as follows:
72	72	Sec. 254.063. SEMIANNUAL REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR CERTAIN
73	73	CANDIDATES [CANDIDATE].
74	74	SECTION 6. Section 254.063(a), Election Code, is amended to
75	75	read as follows:
76	76	(a) Except as provided by Section 254.0631, a [A] candidate
77	77	shall file two reports for each year as provided by this section.
78	78	SECTION 7. Subchapter C, Chapter 254, Election Code, is
79	79	amended by adding Section 254.0631 to read as follows:
80	80	Sec. 254.0631. QUARTERLY REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR CANDIDATE
81	81	FOR OFFICE OF STATE GOVERNMENT. (a) A candidate for a statewide
82	82	office or for the office of state representative or state senator
83	83	shall file four reports for each year as provided by this section.
84	84	(b) The first report shall be filed not later than April 15.
85	85	The report covers the period beginning January 1, the day the
86	86	candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
87	87	day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
88	88	under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through March
89	89	31.
90	90	(c) The second report shall be filed not later than July 15.
91	91	The report covers the period beginning April 1, the day the
92	92	candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
93	93	day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
94	94	under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through June
95	95	30.
96	96	(d) The third report shall be filed not later than October
97	97	15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the
98	98	candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
99	99	day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
100	100	under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
101	101	September 30.
102	102	(e) The fourth report shall be filed not later than January
103	103	15. The report covers the period beginning October 1, the day the
104	104	candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
105	105	day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
106	106	under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
107	107	December 31.
108	108	SECTION 8. The heading to Section 254.093, Election Code,
109	109	is amended to read as follows:
110	110	Sec. 254.093. SEMIANNUAL REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR CERTAIN
111	111	OFFICEHOLDERS [OFFICEHOLDER].
112	112	SECTION 9. Section 254.093(a), Election Code, is amended to
113	113	read as follows:
114	114	(a) Except as provided by Section 254.0931, an [An]
115	115	officeholder shall file two reports for each year as provided by
116	116	this section.
117	117	SECTION 10. Subchapter D, Chapter 254, Election Code, is
118	118	amended by adding Section 254.0931 to read as follows:
119	119	Sec. 254.0931. QUARTERLY REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR HOLDER OF
120	120	OFFICE OF STATE GOVERNMENT. (a) A holder of a statewide office, a
121	121	state representative, or a state senator shall file four reports
122	122	for each year as provided by this section.
123	123	(b) The first report shall be filed not later than April 15.
124	124	The report covers the period beginning January 1, the day the
125	125	officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period
126	126	covered by the last report required to be filed under this
127	127	subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through March 31.
128	128	(c) The second report shall be filed not later than July 15.
129	129	The report covers the period beginning April 1, the day the
130	130	officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period
131	131	covered by the last report required to be filed under this
132	132	subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through June 30.
133	133	(d) The third report shall be filed not later than October
134	134	15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the
135	135	officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period
136	136	covered by the last report required to be filed under this
137	137	subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through September 30.
138	138	(e) The fourth report shall be filed not later than January
139	139	15. The report covers the period beginning October 1, the day the
140	140	officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period
141	141	covered by the last report required to be filed under this
142	142	subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through December 31.
143	143	SECTION 11. The heading to Section 254.123, Election Code,
144	144	is amended to read as follows:
145	145	Sec. 254.123. SEMIANNUAL REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR CERTAIN
146	146	COMMITTEES [COMMITTEE].
147	147	SECTION 12. Section 254.123(a), Election Code, is amended
148	148	to read as follows:
149	149	(a) Except as provided by Section 254.1231, the [The]
150	150	campaign treasurer of a specific-purpose committee shall file two
151	151	reports for each year as provided by this section.
152	152	SECTION 13. Subchapter E, Chapter 254, Election Code, is
153	153	amended by adding Section 254.1231 to read as follows:
154	154	Sec. 254.1231. QUARTERLY REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR COMMITTEES
155	155	WITH PURPOSE RELATED TO OFFICE OF STATE GOVERNMENT. (a) A
156	156	specific-purpose committee supporting or opposing a candidate for a
157	157	statewide office or the office of state representative or state
158	158	senator, or assisting a holder of a statewide office, a state
159	159	representative, or a state senator shall file four reports for each
160	160	year as provided by this section.
161	161	(b) The first report shall be filed not later than April 15.
162	162	The report covers the period beginning January 1, the day the
163	163	committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
164	164	day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
165	165	under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through March
166	166	31.
167	167	(c) The second report shall be filed not later than July 15.
168	168	The report covers the period beginning April 1, the day the
169	169	committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
170	170	day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
171	171	under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through June
172	172	30.
173	173	(d) The third report shall be filed not later than October
174	174	15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the
175	175	committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
176	176	day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
177	177	under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
178	178	September 30.
179	179	(e) The fourth report shall be filed not later than January
180	180	15. The report covers the period beginning October 1, the day the
181	181	committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
182	182	day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
183	183	under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
184	184	December 31.
185	185	SECTION 14. Section 254.153, Election Code, is amended to
186	186	read as follows:
187	187	Sec. 254.153. QUARTERLY [SEMIANNUAL] REPORTING SCHEDULE
188	188	FOR COMMITTEE. (a) The campaign treasurer of a general-purpose
189	189	committee shall file four [two] reports for each year as provided by
190	190	this section.
191	191	(b) The first report shall be filed not later than April
192	192	[July] 15. The report covers the period beginning January 1, the
193	193	day the committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the
194	194	first day after the period covered by the last report required to be
195	195	filed under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
196	196	March 31 [June 30].
197	197	(c) The second report shall be filed not later than July
198	198	[January] 15. The report covers the period beginning April [July]
199	199	1, the day the committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed,
200	200	or the first day after the period covered by the last report
201	201	required to be filed under this subchapter, as applicable, and
202	202	continuing through June 30 [December 31].
203	203	(d) The third report shall be filed not later than October
204	204	15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the
205	205	committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
206	206	day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
207	207	under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
208	208	September 30.
209	209	(e) The fourth report shall be filed not later than January
210	210	15. The report covers the period beginning October 1, the day the
211	211	committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
212	212	day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
213	213	under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
214	214	December 31.
215	215	SECTION 15. Section 254.184(b), Election Code, is amended
216	216	to read as follows:
217	217	(b) A candidate or committee filing under this subchapter is
218	218	not required to file any reports of political contributions and
219	219	political expenditures other than the required quarterly or
220	220	semiannual reports [required to be filed not later than July 15 and
221	221	January 15].
222	222	SECTION 16. This Act takes effect January 1, 2016.
223	223	* * * * *