83R7568 CAE-D

By: Turner of Tarrant H.B. No. 1999

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to contributions and expenditures of and contribution and expenditure reports filed by specific-purpose political committees; providing civil and criminal penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. The heading to Section 253.037, Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 253.037. RESTRICTIONS ON CONTRIBUTION OR EXPENDITURE BY POLITICAL [GENERAL-PURPOSE] COMMITTEE.

SECTION 2. Section 253.037(a), Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) A political [general-purpose] committee may not knowingly make or authorize a political contribution or political expenditure unless the committee has:

(1) filed its campaign treasurer appointment not later than the 60th day before the date the contribution or expenditure is made; and

(2) accepted political contributions from at least 10 persons.

SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 254, Election Code, is amended by adding Sections 254.1241 through 254.1244 to read as follows:

Sec. 254.1241. OPTION TO FILE MONTHLY; NOTICE. (a) As an alternative to filing reports under Sections 254.123 and 254.124, a specific-purpose committee may file monthly reports.

(b) To be entitled to file monthly reports, the committee must deliver written notice of the committee's intent to file monthly to the authority with whom the committee's reports are required to be filed under this subchapter not earlier than January 1 or later than January 15 of the year in which the committee intends to file monthly. The notice for a committee formed after January 15 must be delivered at the time the committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed.

(c) A committee that files monthly reports may revert to the regular filing schedule prescribed by Sections 254.123 and 254.124 by delivering written notice of the committee's intent not earlier than January 1 or later than January 15 of the year in which the committee intends to revert to the regular reporting schedule. The notice must include a report of all political contributions accepted and all political expenditures made that were not previously reported.

Sec. 254.1242. CONTENTS OF MONTHLY REPORTS. Each monthly report filed under this subchapter must comply with Sections 254.031 and 254.121 except that the maximum amount of a political contribution, expenditure, or loan that is not required to be individually reported is $10 in the aggregate.

Sec. 254.1243. MONTHLY REPORTING SCHEDULE. (a) The campaign treasurer of a specific-purpose committee filing monthly reports shall file a report not later than the fifth day of the month following the period covered by the report. A report covering the month preceding an election in which the committee is involved must be received by the authority with whom the report is required to be filed not later than the fifth day of the month following the period covered by the report.

(b) A monthly report covers the period beginning the 26th day of each month and continuing through the 25th day of the following month, except that the period covered by the first report begins January 1 and continues through January 25.

Sec. 254.1244. EXCEPTION TO MONTHLY REPORTING SCHEDULE. If the campaign treasurer appointment of a specific-purpose committee filing monthly reports is filed after January 1 of the year in which monthly reports are filed, the period covered by the first monthly report begins the day the appointment is filed and continues through the 25th day of the month in which the appointment is filed unless the appointment is filed the 25th or a succeeding day of the month. In that case, the period continues through the 25th day of the month following the month in which the appointment is filed.

SECTION 4. Section 253.037(a), Election Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a political contribution or political expenditure made on or after September 1, 2013. A contribution or expenditure made before September 1, 2013, is governed by the law in effect on the date the contribution or expenditure was made, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 5. The changes in law made by Sections 254.1241 through 254.1244, Election Code, as added by this Act, apply only to a report of political contributions and expenditures that is required to be filed on or after September 1, 2013. A report of contributions and expenditures that is required to be filed before September 1, 2013, is governed by the law in effect on the date the report is required to be filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.