Bill Text: TX HB37 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the reporting of certain contributions and political expenditures by certain persons; adding provisions subject to a criminal penalty.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 74-41)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-05-12 - Placed on General State Calendar [HB37 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB37-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Relating to the reporting of certain contributions and political expenditures by certain persons; adding provisions subject to a criminal penalty.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 74-41)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-05-12 - Placed on General State Calendar [HB37 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB37-Introduced.html
By: Cook | H.B. No. 37 |
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relating to the reporting of certain political contributions and | ||
political expenditures by certain persons; adding provisions | ||
subject to a criminal penalty. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 254.261, Election Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: | ||
(e) This section does not apply to a person to whom | ||
Subchapter K applies. | ||
SECTION 2. Chapter 254, Election Code, is amended by adding | ||
Subchapter K to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER K. REPORTING BY CERTAIN PERSONS WHO ARE NOT POLITICAL | ||
COMMITTEES | ||
Sec. 254.281. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. (a) This | ||
subchapter applies only to a person or group of persons that: | ||
(1) is not a political committee; | ||
(2) accepts political contributions as described by | ||
Subsection (b); and | ||
(3) makes one or more political expenditures, | ||
excluding expenditures authorized by Sections 253.098, 253.099, | ||
253.100, and 253.104, that in the aggregate exceed $25,000 during a | ||
calendar year. | ||
(b) A person or group of persons accepts political | ||
contributions if a member or donor of the person or group makes a | ||
payment, including dues, to the person or group and, at the time | ||
that the member or donor makes the payment, the member or donor | ||
knows or has reason to know that the payment may be used to make a | ||
political contribution or political expenditure or may be comingled | ||
with other funds used to make a political contribution or political | ||
expenditure. A member or donor who signs a statement indicating | ||
that the member's or donor's payment to the person or group may not | ||
be used to make a political contribution or political expenditure | ||
does not have reason to know that the payment may be used to make a | ||
political contribution or political expenditure. | ||
Sec. 254.282. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. (a) Except as | ||
otherwise provided by this subchapter, a person or group of persons | ||
shall comply with this subchapter as if the person or group were the | ||
campaign treasurer of a general-purpose committee that does not | ||
file monthly reports under Section 254.155. | ||
(b) A person or group of persons is not required to file a | ||
campaign treasurer appointment for making political expenditures | ||
for which reporting is required under this subchapter, unless the | ||
person is otherwise required to file a campaign treasurer | ||
appointment under this title. | ||
(c) A person or group of persons is not required to file a | ||
report under this subchapter if: | ||
(1) the person or group is required to disclose | ||
political contributions and political expenditures in another | ||
report required under this title within the time applicable under | ||
this subchapter for reporting the contributions and expenditures; | ||
or | ||
(2) no reportable activity occurs during the reporting | ||
period. | ||
Sec. 254.283. CONTENTS OF REPORT. (a) Itemization of a | ||
political contribution as provided by Section 254.031(a)(1) is | ||
required in a report under this subchapter only if the aggregate | ||
amount of contributions accepted from a person exceeds $1,000 | ||
during the reporting period. | ||
(b) The first report required to be filed in a calendar year | ||
in which the $25,000 threshold under Section 254.281(a)(3) is | ||
exceeded must include all political contributions accepted and all | ||
political expenditures made in the 12 months immediately preceding | ||
the acceptance of the contribution or the making of the expenditure | ||
that triggers the reporting requirements of this subchapter and not | ||
previously reported as required under this subchapter. | ||
SECTION 3. Subchapter K, Chapter 254, Election Code, as | ||
added by this Act, applies only to the reporting of a political | ||
contribution or political expenditure made on or after the | ||
effective date of this Act. A contribution or expenditure made | ||
before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in | ||
effect when the contribution or expenditure was made, and the | ||
former law is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |