By: Madden (Senate Sponsor - Ellis) H.B. No. 1602
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 2003;
May 7, 2003, read first time and referred to Committee on State
Affairs; May 23, 2003, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 23, 2003, sent to printer.)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the availability on the Internet of electronic reports
of political contributions and expenditures.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 254.0401, Election Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
follows:
(b) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, the
commission shall [may not] make a report filed with the commission
under Section 254.036(b) for a reporting deadline by any candidate
for a particular office or by a specific-purpose committee for
supporting or opposing only one candidate for a particular office
available to the public on the Internet if [until] each candidate
for that office that is nominated by or seeking the nomination of a
political party required to nominate candidates by primary
election, and each specific-purpose committee for supporting or
opposing only one candidate for that office that is nominated by or
seeking the nomination of a political party required to nominate
candidates by primary election, other than a candidate or committee
to which Section 254.036(c) or (d) applies, has filed a report for
that reporting deadline. Regardless of whether each candidate for
a particular office that is nominated by or seeking the nomination
of a political party required to nominate candidates by primary
election, and each specific-purpose committee for supporting or
opposing only one candidate for that office that is nominated by or
seeking the nomination of a political party required to nominate
candidates by primary election, has filed a report for a filing
deadline, the commission shall make each report in connection with
that office available on the Internet and by any other electronic
means on:
(1) the 21st day after the date of the filing deadline,
for a report other than a report required to be filed under Section
254.064(c); or
(2) the fourth day after the date of the filing
deadline, for a report required to be filed under Section
254.064(c).
(f) The commission shall clearly state on the Internet
website on which reports are provided under Subsection (b) that
reports filed by an independent candidate, a third-party candidate,
or a specific-purpose committee for supporting or opposing an
independent or third-party candidate will not be available if the
candidate or committee has not yet filed a report.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act to Section
254.0401, Election Code, applies only to the posting of a report of
political contributions and expenditures that is required to be
filed with the Texas Ethics Commission on or after January 1, 2004.
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