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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the availability on the Internet of reports of |
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political contributions and expenditures and financial statements |
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filed in connection with certain county offices. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 254, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 254.04012 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 254.04012. AVAILABILITY OF REPORTS OF JUSTICES OF THE |
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PEACE AND COUNTY JUDGES ON INTERNET. (a) A report filed under this |
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chapter with a county clerk by a justice of the peace, a candidate |
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for the office of justice of the peace, a county judge, or a |
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candidate for the office of county judge must be made available to |
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the public on the county's Internet website if the county maintains |
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an Internet website. |
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(b) If a county is required to make a report available on the |
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county's Internet website under Subsection (a), the county shall |
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make the report available for free and may not require a person to |
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register with the county to view the report. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 159, Local Government |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 159.0061 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 159.0061. AVAILABILITY OF STATEMENTS OF JUSTICES OF |
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THE PEACE AND COUNTY JUDGES ON INTERNET. (a) If a county maintains |
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an Internet website, the county shall make available to the public |
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on the county's Internet website each financial statement filed |
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under this subchapter with the county clerk by a justice of the |
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peace, a candidate for the office of justice of the peace, a county |
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judge, or a candidate for the office of county judge. |
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(b) If a county is required to make a report available on the |
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county's Internet website under Subsection (a), the county shall |
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make the report available for free and may not require a person to |
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register with the county to view the report. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 159, Local Government |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 159.0342 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 159.0342. AVAILABILITY OF STATEMENTS OF JUSTICES OF |
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THE PEACE ON INTERNET. (a) If a county maintains an Internet |
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website, the county shall make available to the public on the |
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county's Internet website any financial statement filed under this |
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subchapter with the county clerk by a justice of the peace or a |
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candidate for the office of justice of the peace. |
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(b) If a county is required to make a report available on the |
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county's Internet website under Subsection (a), the county shall |
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make the report available for free and may not require a person to |
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register with the county to view the report. |
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SECTION 4. (a) Section 254.04012, Election Code, as added |
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by this Act, applies only to a report required to be filed under |
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Chapter 254, Election Code, that is due on or after January 1, 2014. |
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(b) The changes in law made by this Act to Chapter 159, Local |
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Government Code, apply only to a financial statement or report |
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required to be filed under that chapter that is due on or after |
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January 1, 2014. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |