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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to regulations regarding political contributions, |
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expenditures, and advertising; providing a civil penalty. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 251, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 251.010 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 251.010. CANDIDATE AND OFFICEHOLDER TRAINING. (a) A |
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candidate, officeholder, or officeholder-elect shall annually |
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complete the training provided by the commission under Section |
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571.071, Government Code. |
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(b) A candidate shall complete the training not later than: |
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(1) the 30th day after the earliest date the person |
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takes an affirmative action described by Section 251.001(1); and |
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(2) the first anniversary of the date of completing |
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any previous training. |
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(c) An officeholder-elect shall complete the training not |
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later than the 30th day after the date of the election at which the |
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officeholder-elect was elected. An officeholder shall complete the |
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training not later than the first anniversary of the date of |
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completing any previous training as an officeholder or |
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officeholder-elect. |
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(d) A candidate who is an officeholder required to complete |
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training under this section satisfies the training requirements of |
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this section if the candidate complies with Subsection (c). |
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(e) A person may complete the training required by this |
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section online, if the commission offers online training. |
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(f) A person who fails to complete training within the time |
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required by this section is liable to this state for a civil penalty |
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of $500. |
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SECTION 2. Section 254.063, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 254.063. QUARTERLY [SEMIANNUAL] REPORTING SCHEDULE |
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FOR CANDIDATE. (a) A candidate shall file four [two] reports for |
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each year as provided by this section. |
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(b) The first report shall be filed not later than April |
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[July] 15. The report covers the period beginning January 1, the |
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day the candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the |
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first day after the period covered by the last report required to be |
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filed under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through |
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March 31 [June 30]. |
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(c) The second report shall be filed not later than July 15. |
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The report covers the period beginning April 1, the day the |
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candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first |
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day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed |
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under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through June |
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30. |
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(d) The third report shall be filed not later than October |
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15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the |
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candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first |
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day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed |
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under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through |
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September 30. |
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(e) The fourth report shall be filed not later than January |
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15. The report covers the period beginning October [July] 1, the |
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day the candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the |
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first day after the period covered by the last report required to be |
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filed under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through |
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December 31. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 254.064(a) through (d), Election Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) In addition to other required reports, for each election |
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in which a person is a candidate and has an opponent whose name is to |
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appear on the ballot, the person shall file [two] reports as |
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provided by this section. |
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(b) An opposed candidate in an election that is not held on a |
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uniform election date shall file a report under this subsection |
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[The first report shall be filed] not later than the 30th day before |
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election day. The report covers the period beginning the day the |
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candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed or the first |
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day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed |
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under this chapter, as applicable, and continuing through the 40th |
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day before election day. |
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(c) Each opposed candidate shall file a report under this |
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subsection [The second report shall be filed] not later than the |
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eighth day before election day. The report covers the period |
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beginning the first day after the period covered by the last report |
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required to be filed under this chapter [39th day before election
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day] and continuing through the 10th day before election day. |
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(d) If a person becomes an opposed candidate after a |
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reporting period prescribed by Subsection (b) or (c), the person |
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shall file the person's first required report under this section |
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not later than the regular deadline for the report covering the |
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period during which the person becomes an opposed candidate. The |
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period covered by the [first] report begins the day the candidate's |
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campaign treasurer appointment is filed. |
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SECTION 4. Section 254.093, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 254.093. QUARTERLY [SEMIANNUAL] REPORTING SCHEDULE |
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FOR OFFICEHOLDER. (a) An officeholder shall file four [two] |
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reports for each year as provided by this section. |
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(b) The first report shall be filed not later than April |
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[July] 15. The report covers the period beginning January 1, the |
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day the officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period |
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covered by the last report required to be filed under this chapter, |
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as applicable, and continuing through March 31 [June 30]. |
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(c) The second report shall be filed not later than July 15. |
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The report covers the period beginning April 1, the day the |
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officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period |
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covered by the last report required to be filed under this chapter, |
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as applicable, and continuing through June 30. |
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(d) The third report shall be filed not later than October |
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15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the |
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officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period |
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covered by the last report required to be filed under this chapter, |
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as applicable, and continuing through September 30. |
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(e) The fourth report shall be filed not later than January |
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15. The report covers the period beginning October [July] 1, the |
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day the officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period |
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covered by the last report required to be filed under this chapter, |
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as applicable, and continuing through December 31. |
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SECTION 5. The heading to Section 254.123, Election Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 254.123. SEMIANNUAL REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR CERTAIN |
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COMMITTEES [COMMITTEE]. |
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SECTION 6. Section 254.123(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The campaign treasurer of a specific-purpose committee, |
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other than a committee to which Section 254.1231 applies, shall |
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file two reports for each year as provided by this section. |
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SECTION 7. Subchapter E, Chapter 254, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 254.1231 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 254.1231. QUARTERLY REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR |
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SPECIFIC-PURPOSE COMMITTEE SUPPORTING A SINGLE CANDIDATE OR |
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OFFICEHOLDER. (a) The campaign treasurer of a specific-purpose |
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committee supporting a single identified candidate or officeholder |
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shall file four reports for each year as provided by this section. |
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(b) The first report shall be filed not later than April 15. |
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The report covers the period beginning January 1, the day the |
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committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first |
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day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed |
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under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through March |
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31. |
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(c) The second report shall be filed not later than July 15. |
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The report covers the period beginning April 1, the day the |
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committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first |
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day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed |
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under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through June |
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30. |
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(d) The third report shall be filed not later than October |
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15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the |
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committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first |
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day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed |
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under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through |
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September 30. |
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(e) The fourth report shall be filed not later than January |
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15. The report covers the period beginning October 1, the day the |
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committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first |
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day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed |
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under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through |
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December 30. |
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SECTION 8. Chapter 255, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 255.009 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 255.009. WEBSITE LINK TO COMMISSION. (a) A candidate, |
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officeholder, or specific-purpose committee supporting a single |
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identified candidate or officeholder that maintains an Internet |
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website shall provide on the home page of the website a link leading |
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to the Internet website maintained by the commission. |
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(b) This section does not apply to the official website of |
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any public office held by the candidate or officeholder. |
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SECTION 9. Section 571.071, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) The commission shall: |
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(1) provide training by January of each odd-numbered |
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year for members and members-elect of the legislature concerning |
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compliance with the laws administered and enforced by the |
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commission; [and] |
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(2) provide, in cooperation with state agencies, a |
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program of ethics training for state employees ; and |
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(3) provide training for candidates, officeholders, |
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and officeholders-elect subject to Title 15, Election Code, |
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concerning compliance with that title. |
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(d) The commission shall provide a certificate of course |
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completion to persons who complete the training under Subsection |
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(a)(3). The commission shall maintain and make available for |
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public inspection the record of current candidates' and |
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officeholders' completion of the training. |
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SECTION 10. A person who is a candidate or officeholder on |
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January 1, 2008, shall complete the training required by Section |
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251.010, Election Code, as added by this Act, before February 1, |
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2008. |
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SECTION 11. The changes in law made by this Act in amending |
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Sections 254.063 and 254.093, Election Code, and adding Section |
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254.1231, Election Code, apply only to a report covering a period |
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beginning on or after January 1, 2008. A report covering a period |
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beginning before January 1, 2008, is governed by the law in effect |
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on the first day of the period covered by the report, regardless of |
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when the report is filed, and the former law is continued in effect |
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for that purpose. |
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SECTION 12. This Act takes effect January 1, 2008. |