This section requires certain election reports to be posted online quickly, with some address information removed.
Sec. 254.0401. AVAILABILITY OF REPORTS ON INTERNET. (a) The commission shall make each report filed with the commission under Section 254.036(b) available to the public on the Internet not later than the second business day after the date the report is filed. (a-1) Repealed by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 838 (H.B. 2626), Sec. 2(1), eff. September 1, 2023. (b) The clerk or secretary of a political subdivision's governing body or, if the governing body does not have a clerk or secretary, the governing body's presiding officer shall make a report filed with the political subdivision by a candidate, officeholder, or specific-purpose committee under this subchapter available to the public on the political subdivision's Internet website not later than the 10th business day after the date the report is received. (c) Repealed by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 838 (H.B. 2626), Sec. 2(1), eff. September 1, 2023. (d) The access allowed by this section to reports is in addition to the public's access to the information through other electronic or print distribution of the information. (e) Before making a report filed under Section 254.036(b) available on the Internet, the commission shall remove each portion, other than city, state, and zip code, of: (1) the address of a person listed as having made a political contribution to the person filing the report; and (2) the residence address of an individual listed as having received a political expenditure if the individual's address is indicated in the space described by Section 254.036(b-1) as being a residence address. (e-1) Before making a report available on the Internet as required by Subsection (b), the authority with whom the report is filed may remove each portion, other than city, state, and zip code, of the address of a person listed as having made a political contribution to the person filing the report. The address information removed must remain available on the report maintained in the authority's office. (e-2) The address information the commission removes under Subsection (e) must remain available on the report maintained in the commission's office but may not be available electronically at that office. (f) The commission shall clearly state on the Internet website on which reports are provided that reports filed by an independent candidate, a third-party candidate, or a specific-purpose committee for supporting or opposing an independent or third-party candidate will not be available if the candidate or committee has not yet filed a report. (g) Electronic report data saved in a temporary storage location of the authority with whom the report is filed for later retrieval and editing before the report is filed is confidential and may not be disclosed. After the report is filed with the authority, the information disclosed in the filed report is public information to the extent provided by this title. (h) A report made available on an Internet website under this section must be accessible on that website until the fifth anniversary of the date the report is first made available. Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1434, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 249, Sec. 2.14, 2.26, eff. Sept. 1, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 567, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 847 (H.B. 195), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 847 (H.B. 195), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 847 (H.B. 195), Sec. 3(a), eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 249 (H.B. 998), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 838 (H.B. 2626), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 838 (H.B. 2626), Sec. 2(1), eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 549 (H.B. 551), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2025.