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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to disclosures on certain electronic communications that |
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support or oppose a candidate, public officer, or measure. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 251.001, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subdivision (16) and adding Subdivision (21) to read as |
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follows: |
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(16) "Political advertising" means a communication |
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supporting or opposing a candidate for nomination or election to a |
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public office or office of a political party, a political party, a |
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public officer, or a measure that: |
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(A) in return for consideration, is published in |
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a newspaper, magazine, or other periodical or is broadcast by radio |
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or television; or |
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(B) appears: |
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(i) in a pamphlet, circular, flier, |
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billboard or other sign, bumper sticker, or similar form of written |
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communication; [or] |
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(ii) on an Internet website; or |
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(iii) in a blog. |
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(21) "Blog" means an Internet website maintained by a |
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person that contains regular entries of commentary, descriptions of |
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events, or similar material. |
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SECTION 2. Section 255.001(d), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) This section does not apply to: |
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(1) tickets or invitations to political fund-raising |
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events; |
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(2) campaign buttons, pins, hats, or similar campaign |
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materials; [or] |
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(3) circulars or flyers that cost in the aggregate |
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less than $500 to publish and distribute; or |
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(4) a blog maintained by: |
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(A) an individual who does not receive |
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compensation for maintaining the blog; or |
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(B) a recognized news organization, including a |
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newspaper, magazine, radio or television station or network, cable |
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television operator, programmer, or producer, or Internet |
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publication, that is not owned or affiliated with a candidate, |
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political committee, or political party. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |