Texas Register

TITLE 1 ADMINISTRATION
PART 2TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION
CHAPTER 20REPORTING POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES
SUBCHAPTER AGENERAL RULES
RULE §20.13Out-of-State Committees
ISSUE 03/14/2008
ACTION Final/Adopted
Preamble Texas Admin Code Rule

(a)An out-of-state political committee is required to file reports for each reporting period under Subchapter F, Chapter 254, Election Code, in which the out-of-state political committee accepts political contributions or makes political expenditures in connection with a state or local election in Texas. Section 254.1581, Election Code, applies to a report required to be filed under this section. An out-of-state political committee that files reports electronically in another jurisdiction may comply with §254.1581, Election Code, by sending a letter to the commission within the time prescribed by that section specifying in detail where the electronic report may be found on the website of the agency with which the out-of-state political committee is required to file its reports. An out-of-state political committee that does not file reports electronically in another jurisdiction may comply with §254.1581, Election Code, by sending a copy of the cover sheets of the report and a copy of each page on which the committee reports a contribution or expenditure accepted or made in connection with a state or local election in Texas.

(b)An out-of-state political committee that files an appointment of campaign treasurer with a Texas filing authority is required to file reports under this title.

(c)A political committee must determine if it is an "out-of-state political committee" each time the political committee plans to make a political expenditure in Texas (other than an expenditure in connection with a campaign for a federal office or an expenditure for a federal officeholder). The determination is made as follows.

  (1)Before making the expenditure (other than an expenditure in connection with a campaign for a federal office or an expenditure for a federal officeholder), the committee must calculate its total political expenditures made during the 12 months immediately preceding the date of the planned expenditure. This total does not include the planned political expenditure triggering the calculation requirement.

  (2)If 80% or more of the total political expenditures are in connection with elections not voted on in Texas, the committee is an out-of-state committee.

  (3)If less than 80% of the total political expenditures are in connection with elections not voted on in Texas, the committee is no longer an out-of-state committee.

(d)Section 20.29 (relating to Information About Out-of-State Committees) and §22.7 (relating to Contribution from Out-of-State Committee) of this title contain other provisions regarding requirements applicable to recipients of contributions from out-of-state political committees.

(e)An out-of-state political committee planning an expenditure in connection with a campaign for federal office voted on in Texas is not required to make the determination required under subsection (c) of this section. However, an expenditure in connection with a campaign for federal office voted on in Texas must be included in the calculation set out in subsection (c) of this section for an out-of-state committee making an expenditure in connection with a non-federal campaign voted on in Texas.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on February 26, 2008

TRD-200801133

Natalia Luna Ashley

General Counsel

Texas Ethics Commission

Effective date: March 17, 2008

Proposal publication date: January 4, 2008

For further information, please call: (512) 463-5800



Next Page Previous Page

Link to Texas Secretary of State Home Page | link to Texas Register home page | link to Texas Administrative Code home page | link to Open Meetings home page