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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 or expenditures filed in connection with |
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certain offices. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 254.0401, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a-1), (c), and (f) and adding Subsection (g) |
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to read as follows: |
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(a-1) The county clerk of a county with a population of |
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50,000 [800,000] or more that maintains an Internet website shall |
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make a report filed with the clerk by a candidate, officeholder, or |
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specific-purpose committee under this subchapter in connection |
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with a county office or the office of county commissioner available |
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to the public on the county's Internet website not later than the |
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fifth business day after the date the report is received. |
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(c) The clerk of a municipality with a population of 50,000 |
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[500,000] or more that maintains an Internet website shall make a |
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report filed with the clerk by a candidate, officeholder, or |
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specific-purpose committee under this subchapter in connection |
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with the office of mayor or member of the municipality's governing |
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body available to the public on the municipality's Internet website |
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not later than the fifth business day after the date the report is |
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received. |
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(f) The commission or county or city clerk, as applicable, |
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shall clearly state on the Internet website on which reports are |
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provided that reports filed by an independent candidate, a |
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third-party candidate, or a specific-purpose committee for |
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supporting or opposing an independent or third-party candidate will |
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not be available if the candidate or committee has not yet filed a |
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report. |
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(g) A report made available on an Internet website under |
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this section must be accessible on that website until the 10th |
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anniversary of the date the report is first made available. |
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SECTION 2. The heading to Section 254.04011, Election Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 254.04011. AVAILABILITY OF REPORTS OF MEMBER OF |
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GOVERNING BODY OF SCHOOL OR PUBLIC JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT |
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[TRUSTEES] ON INTERNET. |
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SECTION 3. Section 254.04011, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (b-1) and |
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(f) to read as follows: |
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(a) This section applies only to a school or public junior |
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college district that maintains an Internet website and has [:
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[(1)
located wholly or partly in a municipality with a
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population of more than 500,000; and
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[(2) with] a student enrollment of more than 15,000. |
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(b-1) A report filed under this chapter by a member of the |
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governing body of a public junior college district, a candidate for |
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membership on the governing body of a public junior college |
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district, or a specific-purpose committee for supporting, |
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opposing, or assisting a candidate or member of a governing body of |
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a public junior college district must be posted on the Internet |
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website of the district. |
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(c) A report to which Subsection (b) or (b-1) applies must |
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be available to the public on the Internet website not later than |
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the fifth business day after the date the report is filed with the |
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school district. |
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(f) A report made available on an Internet website under |
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this section must be accessible on that website until the 10th |
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anniversary of the date the report is first made available. |
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SECTION 4. Section 254.04011(e), Election Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act to Sections |
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254.0401 and 254.04011, Election Code, apply only to a report of |
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political contributions and expenditures that is required to be |
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filed under Chapter 254, Election Code, on or after the effective |
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date of this Act. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |