By: Capriglione H.B. No. 4823
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to an electronic filing system for certain reports of
political contributions and expenditures.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Campaign Finance
Transparency Act.
SECTION 2. Sections 254.036(a) and (g), Election Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(a) [Each report filed under this chapter with an authority
other than the commission must be in a format prescribed by the
commission.] A report filed with the commission that is not
required to be filed by computer diskette, modem, or other means of
electronic transfer must be on a form prescribed by the commission
and written in black ink or typed with black typewriter ribbon or,
if the report is a computer printout, the printout must conform to
the same format and paper size as the form prescribed by the
commission.
(g) In prescribing the format of a report filed under this
chapter, including a report filed with an authority other than the
commission under Section 254.0361 [Subsection (a)], the commission
shall ensure that the report requires for political expenditures
made with a credit card that:
(1) the expenditures be reported in a single itemized
list; and
(2) the list include, stated by credit card issuer:
(A) the name of the credit card issuer;
(B) the date and amount of each expenditure; and
(C) the date the credit card issuer was repaid
for the expenditure.
SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 254, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 254.0361 to read as follows:
Sec. 254.0361. ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM FOR REPORTS FILED
WITH AN AUTHORITY OTHER THAN THE COMMISSION. (a) In this section,
"electronic filing system" means the electronic filing system the
commission implements under this section for reports filed under
this chapter with an authority other than the commission.
(b) The commission shall implement an electronic filing
system for reports filed under this chapter with an authority other
than the commission.
(c) Each report filed under this chapter with an authority
other than the commission must be filed using the electronic filing
system by computer diskette, modem, or other means of electronic
transfer, as the commission determines by rule.
(d) The electronic filing system must use computer software
that is:
(1) comparable to the computer software provided or
approved by the commission under Section 571.0671, Government Code;
and
(2) certified under the state risk and authorization
management program established under Section 2054.0593, Government
Code, if the computer software is a cloud-based system.
(e) The commission may collaborate with the Department of
Information Resources in implementing the electronic filing
system, including for the purpose of negotiating a bulk purchase
agreement in relation to the electronic filing system to streamline
procurement, reduce costs, and ensure compliance with applicable
state standards.
(f) The commission shall implement and maintain the
electronic filing system using:
(1) money appropriated to the commission for that
purpose; or
(2) gifts, grants, or donations the commission
receives for that purpose.
(g) The commission shall adopt rules to implement and
maintain the electronic filing system, including rules:
(1) that require each authority other than the
commission with whom reports are filed under this chapter to
provide to the commission information contained in reports filed
using the electronic filing system in a format the commission
determines; and
(2) on aggregating data contained in the information
the commission receives under Subdivision (1); and
(3) on publishing the aggregated data described by
Subdivision (2) on the commission's internet website.
(h) The commission by rule shall establish an
implementation timeline by which reports filed with an authority
other than the commission must be filed using the electronic filing
system in accordance with this section. The timeline must require
each report to be filed using the electronic filing system not later
than September 1, 2027. This subsection expires September 1, 2028.
SECTION 4. Section 254.037(b), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) The deadline for filing a report electronically with the
commission or an authority other than the commission as required by
this chapter is midnight on the last day for filing the report.
SECTION 5. Subchapter B, Chapter 254, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 254.038 to read as follows:
Sec. 254.038 SEARCHABLE DATABASE. (a) The commission
shall establish a public, web-based platform to consolidate and
present campaign finance data from all filing authorities across
the state in one central location on the commission's website.
(b) The platform established under Section 254.038(a)
shall:
(1) aggregate and centralize campaign finance
information from various sources statewide, including local and
state-wide level races; and
(2) provide an intuitive, user-friendly interface for
accessing and analyzing the consolidated data; and
(3) enable comprehensive searches across all races and
jurisdictions, allowing users to view contributions and
expenditures for specific candidates, committees, or contributors;
and
(4) provide a variety of data visualization tools to
enhance transparency and facilitate public understanding of
campaign finance trends; and
(5) allow users to rank and sort data based on various
metrics, such as contribution amounts and geographic locations.
SECTION 6. Section 254.036(f), Election Code, is repealed.
SECTION 7. The changes in law made by this Act to Chapter
254, Election Code, apply only to a report that is required to be
filed with an authority other than the Texas Ethics Commission on or
after September 1, 2027. A report that is required to be filed
before that date is governed by the law in effect immediately before
the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in
effect for that purpose.
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.