80R13125 ATP-D
 
  By: Branch, England H.B. No. 89
 
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 89:
 
  By:  Berman C.S.H.B. No. 89
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to an exemption for certain political committees from the
imposition of civil penalties for violating requirements for
reporting political contributions and expenditures.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 254, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 254.164 to read as follows:
       Sec. 254.164.  CERTAIN COMMITTEES EXEMPT FROM CIVIL
PENALTIES. The commission may not impose a civil penalty on a
general-purpose committee for a violation of this chapter if the
committee did not accept political contributions totaling $3,000 or
more or make or authorize political expenditures totaling $3,000 or
more during:
             (1)  the reporting period covered by the report that is
the subject of the violation; or
             (2)  either of the two reporting periods preceding the
reporting period described by Subdivision (1).
       SECTION 2.  Section 254.164, Election Code, as added by this
Act, applies only to a violation of Chapter 254, Election Code,
relating to a report required to be filed under that chapter on or
after the effective date of this Act. A violation of Chapter 254,
Election Code, relating to a report required to be filed under that
chapter before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law
in effect when the violation occurred, and the former law is
continued in effect for that purpose.
       SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.