Title EL, Election Code

Sec. 254.151. ADDITIONAL CONTENTS OF REPORTS. In addition to the contents required by Section 254.031, each report by a campaign treasurer of a general-purpose committee must include: (1) the committee's full name and address; (2) the full name, residence or business street addre…

Sec. 254.152. TIME FOR REPORTING CERTAIN EXPENDITURES. If a general-purpose committee makes a political expenditure in the form of a political contribution to another general-purpose committee or to an out-of-state political committee and the contributing committee does not inten…

Sec. 254.153. SEMIANNUAL REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR COMMITTEE. (a) The campaign treasurer of a general-purpose committee shall file two reports for each year as provided by this section. (b) The first report shall be filed not later than July 15. The report covers the period beginnin…

Sec. 254.154. ADDITIONAL REPORTS OF COMMITTEE INVOLVED IN ELECTION. (a) In addition to other required reports, for each election in which a general-purpose committee is involved, the committee's campaign treasurer shall file two reports. (b) The first report must be received by t…

Sec. 254.1541. ALTERNATE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN COMMITTEES. (a) This section applies only to a general-purpose committee with less than $20,000 in one or more accounts maintained by the committee in which political contributions are deposited, as of the last day of th…

Sec. 254.155. OPTION TO FILE MONTHLY; NOTICE. (a) As an alternative to filing reports under Sections 254.153 and 254.154, a general-purpose committee may file monthly reports. (b) To be entitled to file monthly reports, the committee must deliver written notice of the committee's…

Sec. 254.156. CONTENTS OF MONTHLY REPORTS. Each monthly report filed under this subchapter must comply with Sections 254.031 and 254.151 except that the maximum amount of a political contribution, expenditure, or loan that is not required to be individually reported is: (1) $10 i…

Sec. 254.157. MONTHLY REPORTING SCHEDULE. (a) The campaign treasurer of a general-purpose committee filing monthly reports shall file a report not later than the fifth day of the month following the period covered by the report. A report covering the month preceding an election i…

Sec. 254.158. EXCEPTION TO MONTHLY REPORTING SCHEDULE. If the campaign treasurer appointment of a general-purpose committee filing monthly reports is filed after January 1 of the year in which monthly reports are filed, the period covered by the first monthly report begins the da…

Sec. 254.1581. REPORTING BY OUT-OF-STATE POLITICAL COMMITTEE. For each reporting period under this subchapter in which an out-of-state political committee accepts political contributions or makes political expenditures, the committee shall file with the commission a copy of one o…

Sec. 254.159. DISSOLUTION REPORT. If a general-purpose committee expects no reportable activity to occur after the period covered by a report filed under this subchapter, the report may be designated as a "dissolution" report as provided by Section 254.126 for a specific-purpose …

Sec. 254.160. TERMINATION REPORT. If the campaign treasurer appointment of a general-purpose committee is terminated, the campaign treasurer shall file a termination report as prescribed by Section 254.127 for a specific-purpose committee. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 899…

Sec. 254.161. NOTICE TO CANDIDATE AND OFFICEHOLDER OF CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES. If a general-purpose committee other than the principal political committee of a political party or a political committee established by a political party's county executive committee accepts po…

Sec. 254.162. NOTICE OF CHANGE IN COMMITTEE STATUS. If a general-purpose committee changes its operation and becomes a specific-purpose committee, notice of the change in status shall be given to the commission as provided by Section 254.129 for a specific-purpose committee. Amen…

Sec. 254.163. AUTHORITY WITH WHOM REPORTS FILED. Reports filed under this subchapter shall be filed with the commission. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 899, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 107, Sec. 3.20, eff. Aug. 30, 1993.

Sec. 254.164. CERTAIN COMMITTEES EXEMPT FROM CIVIL PENALTIES. The commission may not impose a civil penalty on a general-purpose committee for a violation of this chapter if the report filed by the committee that is the subject of the violation discloses that the committee did no…

Sec. 254.181. MODIFIED REPORTING AUTHORIZED. (a) An opposed candidate or specific-purpose committee required to file reports under Subchapter C or E may file a report under this subchapter instead if the candidate or committee does not intend to accept political contributions tha…

Sec. 254.182. DECLARATION OF INTENT REQUIRED. (a) To be entitled to file reports under this subchapter, an opposed candidate or specific-purpose committee must file with the campaign treasurer appointment a written declaration of intent not to exceed $500 in political contributio…

Sec. 254.183. MAXIMUM EXCEEDED. (a) An opposed candidate or specific-purpose committee that exceeds $500 in political contributions or political expenditures in the election shall file reports as required by Subchapter C or E, as applicable. (b) If a candidate or committee exceed…

Sec. 254.184. APPLICABILITY OF REGULAR REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. (a) Subchapter C or E, as applicable, applies to an opposed candidate or specific-purpose committee filing under this subchapter to the extent that the appropriate subchapter does not conflict with this subchapter. (b…

Sec. 254.201. ANNUAL REPORT OF UNEXPENDED CONTRIBUTIONS. (a) This section applies to: (1) a former officeholder who has unexpended political contributions after filing the last report required to be filed by Subchapter D; or (2) a person who was an unsuccessful candidate who has …

Sec. 254.202. FILING OF REPORT; CONTENTS. (a) A person shall file the report required by Section 254.201 not earlier than January 1 or later than January 15 of each year following the year in which the person files a final report under this chapter. (b) The report shall be filed …

Sec. 254.203. RETENTION OF CONTRIBUTIONS. (a) A person may not retain political contributions covered by this title, assets purchased with the contributions, or interest and other income earned on the contributions for more than six years after the date the person either ceases t…

Sec. 254.204. DISPOSITION OF UNEXPENDED CONTRIBUTIONS. (a) At the end of the six-year period prescribed by Section 254.203, the former officeholder or candidate shall remit any unexpended political contributions to one or more of the following: (1) the political party with which …

Sec. 254.205. REPORT OF DISPOSITION OF UNEXPENDED CONTRIBUTIONS. (a) Not later than the 30th day after the date the six-year period prescribed by Section 254.203 ends, the person required to dispose of unexpended political contributions shall file a report of the disposition. (b)…

Sec. 254.231. LIABILITY TO CANDIDATES. (a) A candidate or campaign treasurer or assistant campaign treasurer of a political committee who fails to report in whole or in part a campaign contribution or campaign expenditure as required by this chapter is liable for damages as provi…

Sec. 254.232. LIABILITY TO STATE. A candidate, officeholder, or campaign treasurer or assistant campaign treasurer of a political committee who fails to report in whole or in part a political contribution or political expenditure as required by this chapter is liable in damages t…

Sec. 254.261. DIRECT CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURE EXCEEDING $100. (a) A person not acting in concert with another person who makes one or more direct campaign expenditures in an election from the person's own property shall comply with this chapter as if the person were the campaign trea…

Sec. 254.262. TRAVEL EXPENSE. A direct campaign expenditure consisting of personal travel expenses incurred by a person may be made without complying with Section 254.261. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1009 (H.B. 2359), Sec. 5, eff. June 17, 2011.

Sec. 255.001. REQUIRED DISCLOSURE ON POLITICAL ADVERTISING. (a) A person may not knowingly cause to be published, distributed, or broadcast political advertising containing express advocacy that does not indicate in the advertising: (1) that it is political advertising; and (2) t…

Sec. 255.002. RATES FOR POLITICAL ADVERTISING. (a) The rate charged for political advertising by a radio or television station may not exceed: (1) during the 45 days preceding a general or runoff primary election and during the 60 days preceding a general or special election, the…

Sec. 255.003. UNLAWFUL USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR POLITICAL ADVERTISING. (a) An officer or employee of a political subdivision may not knowingly spend or authorize the spending of public funds for political advertising. (b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a communication that factu…

Sec. 255.0031. UNLAWFUL USE OF INTERNAL MAIL SYSTEM FOR POLITICAL ADVERTISING. (a) An officer or employee of a state agency or political subdivision may not knowingly use or authorize the use of an internal mail system for the distribution of political advertising. (b) Subsection…

Sec. 255.004. TRUE SOURCE OF COMMUNICATION. (a) A person commits an offense if, with intent to injure a candidate or influence the result of an election, the person enters into a contract or other agreement to print, publish, or broadcast political advertising that purports to em…

Sec. 255.005. MISREPRESENTATION OF IDENTITY. (a) A person commits an offense if, with intent to injure a candidate or influence the result of an election, the person misrepresents the person's identity or, if acting or purporting to act as an agent, misrepresents the identity of …

Sec. 255.006. MISLEADING USE OF OFFICE TITLE. (a) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly enters into a contract or other agreement to print, publish, or broadcast political advertising with the intent to represent to an ordinary and prudent person that a candidate ho…

Sec. 255.008. DISCLOSURE ON POLITICAL ADVERTISING FOR JUDICIAL OFFICE. (a) This section applies only to a candidate or political committee covered by Subchapter F, Chapter 253. (b) Political advertising by a candidate who files a declaration of intent to comply with the limits on…

Sec. 257.001. PRINCIPAL POLITICAL COMMITTEE OF POLITICAL PARTY. The state or county executive committee of a political party may designate a general-purpose committee as the principal political committee for that party in the state or county, as applicable. Added by Acts 1991, 72…

Sec. 257.002. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO CORPORATE OR LABOR UNION CONTRIBUTIONS. (a) A political party that accepts a contribution authorized by Section 253.104 may use the contribution only to: (1) defray normal overhead and administrative or operating costs incurred by the party;…

Sec. 257.003. REPORT REQUIRED. (a) A political party that accepts contributions authorized by Section 253.104 shall report all contributions and expenditures made to and from the account required by Section 257.002. (b) The report must be filed with the commission and must includ…

Sec. 257.004. RESTRICTIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION. (a) Beginning on the 60th day before the date of the general election for state and county officers and continuing through the day of the election, a political party may not knowingly accept a contribution autho…

Sec. 257.005. CANDIDATE FOR STATE OR COUNTY CHAIR OF POLITICAL PARTY. (a) Except as provided by this section, the following are subject to the requirements of this title that apply to a candidate for public office: (1) a candidate for state chair of a political party with a nomin…

Sec. 257.006. CRIMINAL PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY. (a) Except as provided by Section 257.004, a person who knowingly uses a contribution in violation of Section 257.002 or who knowingly fails to otherwise comply with this chapter commits an offense. (b) An offense under this s…

Sec. 257.007. RULES. The commission shall adopt rules to implement this chapter. Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 304, Sec. 5.19, eff. Jan. 1, 1992.

Sec. 258.001. SHORT TITLE. This chapter may be cited as the Fair Campaign Practices Act. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 168, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 258.002. PURPOSE. (a) The purpose of this chapter is to encourage every candidate and political committee to subscribe to the Code of Fair Campaign Practices. (b) It is the intent of the legislature that every candidate and political committee that subscribes to the Code of …