Bill Text: TX HB686 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to required disclosures on certain political advertising by political committees; providing a civil penalty.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 3)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-03-04 - Referred to State Affairs [HB686 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-HB686-Introduced.html

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89R866 MPF-D
By: Leo Wilson H.B. No. 686

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to required disclosures on certain political advertising
by political committees; providing a civil penalty.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 255, Election Code, is amended by adding
Section 255.009 to read as follows:
Sec. 255.009. REQUIRED DISCLOSURE ON CERTAIN POLITICAL
ADVERTISING BY POLITICAL COMMITTEES; CIVIL PENALTY. (a) A
political committee may not publish, distribute, or broadcast
political advertising supporting a slate of five or more candidates
who made a contribution to the political committee for the purpose
of obtaining that support unless the political advertising includes
a disclosure statement indicating:
(1) the full name of each candidate the political
advertising supports;
(2) that the candidates made a contribution to the
political committee for the purpose of obtaining that support; and
(3) if any of the candidates created the political
committee, the full name of each candidate who created the
political committee.
(b) A political committee that violates this section is
liable to this state for a civil penalty in an amount determined by
the commission not to exceed $4,000.
SECTION 2. Section 255.009, Election Code, as added by this
Act, applies only to political advertising that is published,
distributed, or broadcast by a political committee on or after the
effective date of this Act
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.