84R1068 ATP-D
 
  By: Geren H.B. No. 1532
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to quarterly reporting of political contributions and
  expenditures by certain candidates, officeholders, and political
  committees.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 252.0011(d), Election Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (d)  Subsection (c) applies to a person who is the campaign
  treasurer of a general-purpose committee regardless of whether the
  committee files quarterly or files monthly reports under Section
  254.155. For purposes of this subsection, political contributions
  accepted and political expenditures made during each month of a
  [monthly] reporting period are aggregated with political
  contributions accepted and political expenditures made in each
  other month of the [monthly] reporting period that corresponds to
  the semiannual reporting period that contains those months.
         SECTION 2.  Section 254.031, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
         (c)  For a person who files quarterly reports under this
  chapter, the threshold amounts provided by Subsection (a) shall be
  divided by two. The commission shall adopt rules to implement this
  subsection.
         SECTION 3.  Section 254.0405, Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 254.0405.  AMENDMENT OF FILED REPORT. (a)  A person
  who files a quarterly or semiannual report under this chapter may
  amend the report.
         (b)  A quarterly or semiannual report that is amended before
  the eighth day after the date the original report was filed is
  considered to have been filed on the date on which the original
  report was filed.
         (c)  A quarterly or semiannual report that is amended on or
  after the eighth day after the original report was filed is
  considered to have been filed on the date on which the original
  report was filed if:
               (1)  the amendment is made before any complaint is
  filed with regard to the subject of the amendment; and
               (2)  the original report was made in good faith and
  without an intent to mislead or to misrepresent the information
  contained in the report.
         SECTION 4.  Section 254.041(d), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (d)  It is an exception to the application of Subsection
  (a)(3) that:
               (1)  the information was required to be included in a
  quarterly or semiannual report; and
               (2)  the person amended the report within the time
  prescribed by Section 254.0405(b) or under the circumstances
  described by Section 254.0405(c).
         SECTION 5.  The heading to Section 254.063, Election Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 254.063.  SEMIANNUAL REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR CERTAIN
  CANDIDATES [CANDIDATE].
         SECTION 6.  Section 254.063(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by Section 254.0631, a [A] candidate
  shall file two reports for each year as provided by this section.
         SECTION 7.  Subchapter C, Chapter 254, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 254.0631 to read as follows:
         Sec. 254.0631.  QUARTERLY REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR CANDIDATE
  FOR OFFICE OF STATE GOVERNMENT. (a) A candidate for a statewide
  office or for the office of state representative or state senator
  shall file four reports for each year as provided by this section.
         (b)  The first report shall be filed not later than April 15.
  The report covers the period beginning January 1, the day the
  candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
  day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
  under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through March
  31.
         (c)  The second report shall be filed not later than July 15.
  The report covers the period beginning April 1, the day the
  candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
  day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
  under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through June
  30.
         (d)  The third report shall be filed not later than October
  15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the
  candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
  day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
  under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
  September 30.
         (e)  The fourth report shall be filed not later than January
  15. The report covers the period beginning October 1, the day the
  candidate's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
  day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
  under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
  December 31.
         SECTION 8.  The heading to Section 254.093, Election Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 254.093.  SEMIANNUAL REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR CERTAIN
  OFFICEHOLDERS [OFFICEHOLDER].
         SECTION 9.  Section 254.093(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by Section 254.0931, an [An]
  officeholder shall file two reports for each year as provided by
  this section.
         SECTION 10.  Subchapter D, Chapter 254, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 254.0931 to read as follows:
         Sec. 254.0931.  QUARTERLY REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR HOLDER OF
  OFFICE OF STATE GOVERNMENT. (a) A holder of a statewide office, a
  state representative, or a state senator shall file four reports
  for each year as provided by this section.
         (b)  The first report shall be filed not later than April 15.
  The report covers the period beginning January 1, the day the
  officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period
  covered by the last report required to be filed under this
  subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through March 31.
         (c)  The second report shall be filed not later than July 15.
  The report covers the period beginning April 1, the day the
  officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period
  covered by the last report required to be filed under this
  subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through June 30.
         (d)  The third report shall be filed not later than October
  15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the
  officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period
  covered by the last report required to be filed under this
  subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through September 30.
         (e)  The fourth report shall be filed not later than January
  15. The report covers the period beginning October 1, the day the
  officeholder takes office, or the first day after the period
  covered by the last report required to be filed under this
  subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through December 31.
         SECTION 11.  The heading to Section 254.123, Election Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 254.123.  SEMIANNUAL REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR CERTAIN
  COMMITTEES [COMMITTEE].
         SECTION 12.  Section 254.123(a), Election Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by Section 254.1231, the [The]
  campaign treasurer of a specific-purpose committee shall file two
  reports for each year as provided by this section.
         SECTION 13.  Subchapter E, Chapter 254, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 254.1231 to read as follows:
         Sec. 254.1231.  QUARTERLY REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR COMMITTEES
  WITH PURPOSE RELATED TO OFFICE OF STATE GOVERNMENT. (a) A
  specific-purpose committee supporting or opposing a candidate for a
  statewide office or the office of state representative or state
  senator, or assisting a holder of a statewide office, a state
  representative, or a state senator shall file four reports for each
  year as provided by this section.
         (b)  The first report shall be filed not later than April 15.
  The report covers the period beginning January 1, the day the
  committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
  day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
  under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through March
  31.
         (c)  The second report shall be filed not later than July 15.
  The report covers the period beginning April 1, the day the
  committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
  day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
  under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through June
  30.
         (d)  The third report shall be filed not later than October
  15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the
  committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
  day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
  under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
  September 30.
         (e)  The fourth report shall be filed not later than January
  15. The report covers the period beginning October 1, the day the
  committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
  day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
  under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
  December 31.
         SECTION 14.  Section 254.153, Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 254.153.  QUARTERLY [SEMIANNUAL] REPORTING SCHEDULE
  FOR COMMITTEE. (a) The campaign treasurer of a general-purpose
  committee shall file four [two] reports for each year as provided by
  this section.
         (b)  The first report shall be filed not later than April
  [July] 15. The report covers the period beginning January 1, the
  day the committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the
  first day after the period covered by the last report required to be
  filed under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
  March 31 [June 30].
         (c)  The second report shall be filed not later than July
  [January] 15. The report covers the period beginning April [July]
  1, the day the committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed,
  or the first day after the period covered by the last report
  required to be filed under this subchapter, as applicable, and
  continuing through June 30 [December 31].
         (d)  The third report shall be filed not later than October
  15. The report covers the period beginning July 1, the day the
  committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
  day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
  under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
  September 30.
         (e)  The fourth report shall be filed not later than January
  15. The report covers the period beginning October 1, the day the
  committee's campaign treasurer appointment is filed, or the first
  day after the period covered by the last report required to be filed
  under this subchapter, as applicable, and continuing through
  December 31.
         SECTION 15.  Section 254.184(b), Election Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  A candidate or committee filing under this subchapter is
  not required to file any reports of political contributions and
  political expenditures other than the required quarterly or
  semiannual reports [required to be filed not later than July 15 and
  January 15].
         SECTION 16.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2016.