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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the filing of reports of political contributions and |
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expenditures and of personal financial statements by certain |
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officeholders and candidates. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 254.036, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (f) to read as follows: |
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(f) In prescribing the format of a report filed under this |
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chapter with an authority other than the commission, the commission |
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shall ensure that: |
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(1) a report may be filed: |
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(A) by first-class United States mail or common |
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or contract carrier; |
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(B) by personal delivery; or |
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(C) by electronic filing, if the authority with |
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whom the report is required to be filed has adopted rules and |
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procedures to provide for the electronic filing of the report and |
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the report is filed in accordance with those rules and procedures; |
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and |
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(2) an authority with whom a report is electronically |
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filed issues an electronic receipt for the report to the person |
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filing the report. |
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SECTION 2. Section 145.004, Local Government Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (g) to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) Except as provided in Subsection (g), the [The] |
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timeliness of the filing is governed by Section 572.029, Government |
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Code. |
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(g) A person is considered to have timely filed a financial |
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statement under this chapter if: |
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(1) the statement is personally delivered not later |
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than 5 p.m. of the last day for filing the statement; or |
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(2) the clerk or secretary of the municipality with |
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whom the statement is required to be filed has adopted rules and |
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procedures to provide for the electronic filing of the statement |
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and the statement is electronically filed in accordance with those |
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rules and procedures not later than midnight of the last day for |
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filing the statement. |
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SECTION 3. Section 159.004, Local Government Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (e) to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Except as provided in Subsection (e), the [The] |
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timeliness of the filing is governed by Section 572.029, Government |
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Code. |
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(e) A person is considered to have timely filed a financial |
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statement under this subchapter if: |
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(1) the statement is personally delivered not later |
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than 5 p.m. of the last day for filing the statement; or |
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(2) the county clerk with whom the statement is |
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required to be filed has adopted rules and procedures to provide for |
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the electronic filing of the statement and the statement is |
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electronically filed in accordance with those rules and procedures |
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not later than midnight of the last day for filing the statement. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter B, Chapter 159, Local Government |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 159.0341 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 159.0341. TIMELINESS OF FILING. A person is |
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considered to have timely filed a report under this subchapter if: |
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(1) the report is filed in accordance with Section |
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572.029, Government Code; |
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(2) the report is personally delivered not later than |
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5 p.m. of the last day for filing the report; or |
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(3) the officer with whom the report is required to be |
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filed has adopted rules and procedures to provide for the |
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electronic filing of the report and the report is electronically |
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filed in accordance with those rules and procedures not later than |
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midnight of the last day for filing the report. |
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SECTION 5. Section 159.053, Local Government Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Except as provided in Subsection (c), the [The] |
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timeliness of the filing is governed by Section 572.029, Government |
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Code. |
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(c) A person is considered to have timely filed a financial |
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statement under this subchapter if: |
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(1) the statement is personally delivered not later |
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than 5 p.m. of the last day for filing the statement; or |
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(2) the county clerk with whom the statement is |
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required to be filed has adopted rules and procedures to provide for |
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the electronic filing of the statement and the statement is |
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electronically filed in accordance with those rules and procedures |
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not later than midnight of the last day for filing the statement. |
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SECTION 6. (a) Section 254.036, Election Code, as amended |
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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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A report required to be filed under Chapter 254, Election Code, that |
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is due before January 1, 2014, is governed by the law in effect on |
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the date the report is due, and the former law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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(b) Section 145.004, Local Government Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies only to a financial statement required to be filed |
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under Chapter 145, Local Government Code, that is due on or after |
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January 1, 2014. A financial statement required to be filed under |
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Chapter 145, Local Government Code, that is due before January 1, |
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2014, is governed by the law in effect on the date the financial |
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statement is due, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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(c) 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. A financial statement or report required to be |
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filed under Chapter 159, Local Government Code, that is due before |
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January 1, 2014, is governed by the law in effect on the date the |
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financial statement or report is due, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |