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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the electronic filing of reports of political |
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contributions and expenditures with populous counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 254.036(a), (b), (c), and (f), Election |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Each report filed under this chapter to which Subsection |
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(b) does not apply [with an authority other than the commission] |
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must be in a format prescribed by the commission. A report filed |
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with the commission that is not required to be filed by computer |
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diskette, modem, or other means of electronic transfer must be on a |
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form prescribed by the commission and written in black ink or typed |
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with black typewriter ribbon or, if the report is a computer |
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printout, the printout must conform to the same format and paper |
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size as the form prescribed by the commission. |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c) or (e), each report |
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filed under this chapter with the commission or the county clerk of |
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a county with a population of 800,000 or more must be filed by |
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computer diskette, modem, or other means of electronic transfer, |
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using computer software provided by the commission or computer |
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software that meets commission specifications for a standard file |
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format. |
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(c) A candidate, officeholder, or political committee to |
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whom Subsection (b) applies [that is required to file reports with
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the commission] may file reports that comply with Subsection (a) |
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if: |
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(1) the candidate, officeholder, or campaign |
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treasurer of the committee files with the authority with whom |
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reports under this chapter are filed [commission] an affidavit |
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stating that the candidate, officeholder, or committee, an agent of |
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the candidate, officeholder, or committee, or a person with whom |
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the candidate, officeholder, or committee contracts does not use |
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computer equipment to keep the current records of political |
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contributions, political expenditures, or persons making political |
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contributions to the candidate, officeholder, or committee; and |
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(2) the candidate, officeholder, or committee does |
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not, in a calendar year, accept political contributions that in the |
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aggregate exceed $20,000 or make political expenditures that in the |
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aggregate exceed $20,000. |
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(f) In prescribing the format of a report filed under |
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Subsection (a) [this chapter with an authority other than the
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commission], the commission shall ensure that: |
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(1) a report may be filed: |
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(A) by first class United States mail or common |
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or contract carrier; |
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(B) by personal delivery; or |
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(C) by electronic filing, if the authority with |
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whom the report is required to be filed has adopted rules and |
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procedures to provide for the electronic filing of the report and |
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the report is filed in accordance with those rules and procedures; |
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and |
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(2) an authority with whom a report is electronically |
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filed issues an electronic receipt for the report to the person |
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filing the report. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |