By Madden H.B. No. 3287
77R8937 ESH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the reporting of certain political contributions and
1-3 political expenditures.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Sections 254.038(a)-(c), Election Code, are
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 (a) In addition to other reports required by this chapter,
1-8 the following persons shall file additional reports during the
1-9 period beginning the ninth day before election day and ending at 5
1-10 p.m. [12 noon] on the [second] day before election day:
1-11 (1) a candidate for statewide office, state senator,
1-12 state representative, or member, State Board of Education, who has
1-13 an opponent whose name is to appear on the ballot and who accepts
1-14 political contributions from a person that in the aggregate exceed
1-15 $1,000 during that reporting period;
1-16 (2) [a candidate for state representative who has an
1-17 opponent whose name is to appear on the ballot and who accepts
1-18 political contributions from a person that in the aggregate exceed
1-19 $200 during that reporting period;]
1-20 [(3)] a specific-purpose committee for supporting or
1-21 opposing a candidate for an office covered by Subdivision (1)
1-22 [state senator] and that accepts political contributions from a
1-23 person that in the aggregate exceed $1,000 during that reporting
1-24 period; and
2-1 (3) a political committee, other than a
2-2 specific-purpose committee described by Subdivision (2), that:
2-3 (A) accepts political contributions from a
2-4 person that in the aggregate exceed $100 during that reporting
2-5 period; or
2-6 (B) makes a political expenditure that exceeds
2-7 $100 during that reporting period
2-8 [(4) a specific-purpose committee for supporting or
2-9 opposing a candidate for state representative and that accepts
2-10 political contributions from a person that in the aggregate exceed
2-11 $200 during that reporting period].
2-12 (b) Each report required by this section must include:
2-13 (1) the amount of the political contributions
2-14 specified by Subsection (a), the full name and address of the
2-15 person making the contributions, and the dates of the
2-16 contributions; or
2-17 (2) the amount of the political expenditures specified
2-18 by Subsection (a), the full name and address of the person to whom
2-19 the expenditures are made, and the dates and purposes of the
2-20 expenditures.
2-21 (c) A report under this section shall be filed by telegram
2-22 or telephonic facsimile machine, [or] by hand, or electronically
2-23 with the commission not later than 24 [48] hours after the
2-24 contribution is accepted or the expenditure is made.
2-25 SECTION 2. Section 254.042(a), Election Code, is amended to
2-26 read as follows:
2-27 (a) The commission shall determine from any available
3-1 evidence whether a report, other than a telegram report under
3-2 Section 254.038 [or 254.039], required to be filed with the
3-3 commission under this chapter is late. On making that
3-4 determination, the commission shall immediately mail a notice of
3-5 the determination to the person required to file the report.
3-6 SECTION 3. Section 254.039, Election Code, is repealed.
3-7 SECTION 4. Section 254.038, Election Code, as amended by this
3-8 Act, and the repeal of Section 254.039, Election Code, by this Act
3-9 apply only to the reporting of a political contribution accepted or
3-10 a political expenditure made on or after September 1, 2001. The
3-11 reporting of a political contribution accepted or a political
3-12 expenditure made before September 1, 2001, is governed by the law
3-13 in effect on the date the contribution was accepted or the
3-14 expenditure was made, and the former law is continued in effect for
3-15 that purpose.
3-16 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.