| 1 | 1 | | 89R866 MPF-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Leo Wilson H.B. No. 686 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to required disclosures on certain political advertising |
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| 10 | 10 | | by political committees; providing a civil penalty. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 255, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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| 13 | 13 | | Section 255.009 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 255.009. REQUIRED DISCLOSURE ON CERTAIN POLITICAL |
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| 15 | 15 | | ADVERTISING BY POLITICAL COMMITTEES; CIVIL PENALTY. (a) A |
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| 16 | 16 | | political committee may not publish, distribute, or broadcast |
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| 17 | 17 | | political advertising supporting a slate of five or more candidates |
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| 18 | 18 | | who made a contribution to the political committee for the purpose |
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| 19 | 19 | | of obtaining that support unless the political advertising includes |
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| 20 | 20 | | a disclosure statement indicating: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) the full name of each candidate the political |
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| 22 | 22 | | advertising supports; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) that the candidates made a contribution to the |
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| 24 | 24 | | political committee for the purpose of obtaining that support; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | (3) if any of the candidates created the political |
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| 26 | 26 | | committee, the full name of each candidate who created the |
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| 27 | 27 | | political committee. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (b) A political committee that violates this section is |
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| 29 | 29 | | liable to this state for a civil penalty in an amount determined by |
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| 30 | 30 | | the commission not to exceed $4,000. |
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| 31 | 31 | | SECTION 2. Section 255.009, Election Code, as added by this |
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| 32 | 32 | | Act, applies only to political advertising that is published, |
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| 33 | 33 | | distributed, or broadcast by a political committee on or after the |
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| 34 | 34 | | effective date of this Act |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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