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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to monitoring and enforcement by the Texas Ethics |
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Commission of the requirement that certain reports filed with a |
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political subdivision are available on the Internet; providing an |
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administrative penalty. |
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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 254.04015 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 254.04015. MONITORING AVAILABILITY OF CERTAIN REPORTS |
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ON INTERNET; ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTY. (a) The commission shall |
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develop procedures for monitoring the Internet websites of each |
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political subdivision that is required to make a report available |
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on the political subdivision's Internet website under Section |
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254.0401(b) to ensure the political subdivision is in substantial |
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compliance with that requirement. If the commission determines |
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that a political subdivision is not in substantial compliance with |
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the requirement under Section 254.0401(b), the commission shall |
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provide to the political subdivision written notice of that |
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determination. |
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(b) The commission may assess an administrative penalty in |
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an amount not to exceed $2,500 against a political subdivision that |
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is not in substantial compliance with the requirement described by |
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Subsection (a) before the 30th day after the date the political |
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subdivision receives the notice under that subsection. Each day a |
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political subdivision is not in substantial compliance with that |
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requirement after the 30th day after the date the political |
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subdivision receives the notice constitutes a separate violation |
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for purposes of imposing an administrative penalty under this |
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subsection. |
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(c) The commission shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement this section, including rules defining the meaning of |
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substantial compliance for purposes of this section. |
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SECTION 2. 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 3. (a) Not later than December 1, 2025, the Texas |
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Ethics Commission shall adopt rules as required by Section |
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254.04015, Election Code, as added by this Act. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 254.04015, Election Code, as |
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added by this Act, a political subdivision is not subject to an |
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administrative penalty under that section before January 1, 2026. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |