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AN ACT
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relating to the availability on the Internet of certain reports of |
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political contributions and expenditures. |
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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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adding Subsections (b), (e-1), and (h) to read as follows: |
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(b) The clerk or secretary of a political subdivision's |
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governing body or, if the governing body does not have a clerk or |
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secretary, the governing body's presiding officer shall make a |
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report filed with the political subdivision by a candidate, |
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officeholder, or specific-purpose committee under this subchapter |
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available to the public on the political subdivision's Internet |
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website not later than the 10th business day after the date the |
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report is received. |
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(e-1) Before making a report available on the Internet as |
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required by Subsection (b), the authority with whom the report is |
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filed may remove each portion, other than city, state, and zip code, |
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of the address of a person listed as having made a political |
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contribution to the person filing the report. The address |
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information removed must remain available on the report maintained |
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in the authority's office. |
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(h) A report made available on an Internet website under |
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this section must be accessible on that website until the fifth |
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anniversary of the date the report is first made available. |
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SECTION 2. The following provisions of the Election Code |
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are repealed: |
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(1) Sections 254.0401(a-1) and (c); and |
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(2) Section 254.04011. |
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SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a report under Chapter 254, Election Code, that is required to be |
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filed on or after the effective date of this Act. A report under |
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that chapter that is required to be filed before the effective date |
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of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the report |
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is required to be filed, and the former law is continued in effect |
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for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2626 was passed by the House on May |
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12, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 1, 2 present, not |
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voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2626 was passed by the Senate on May |
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24, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: _____________________ |
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Date |
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_____________________ |
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Governor |