Sec. 254.036.  FORM OF REPORT;  AFFIDAVIT;  MAILING OF FORMS.  (a)  Each report filed under this chapter with an authority other than the commission must be in a format prescribed by the commission.  A report filed with the commission that is not required to be filed by computer diskette, modem, or other means of electronic transfer must be on a form prescribed by the commission and written in black ink or typed with black typewriter ribbon or, if the report is a computer printout, the printout must conform to the same format and paper size as the form prescribed by the commission.
(b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c) or (e), each report filed under this chapter with the commission must be filed by computer diskette, modem, or other means of electronic transfer, using computer software provided by the commission or computer software that meets commission specifications for a standard file format.
(c)  A candidate, officeholder, or political committee that is required to file reports with the commission may file reports that comply with Subsection (a) if:
(1)  the candidate, officeholder, or campaign treasurer of the committee files with the commission an affidavit stating that the candidate, officeholder, or committee, an agent of the candidate, officeholder, or committee, or a person with whom the candidate, officeholder, or committee contracts does not use computer equipment to keep the current records of political contributions, political expenditures, or persons making political contributions to the candidate, officeholder, or committee;  and
(2)  the candidate, officeholder, or committee does not, in a calendar year, accept political contributions that in the aggregate exceed $20,000 or make political expenditures that in the aggregate exceed $20,000.
(c-1)  An affidavit under Subsection (c) must be filed with each report filed under Subsection (a).  The affidavit must include a statement that the candidate, officeholder, or political committee understands that the candidate, officeholder, or committee shall file reports as required by Subsection (b) if:
(1)  the candidate, officeholder, or committee, a consultant of the candidate, officeholder, or committee, or a person with whom the candidate, officeholder, or committee contracts uses computer equipment for a purpose described by Subsection (c);  or
(2)  the candidate, officeholder, or committee exceeds $20,000 in political contributions or political expenditures in a calendar year.
(d)  Repealed by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 249, Sec. 2.26.
(e)  A candidate for an office described by Section 252.005(5) or a specific-purpose committee for supporting or opposing only candidates for an office described by Section 252.005(5) or a measure described by Section 252.007(5) may file reports that comply with Subsection (a).
(f)  In prescribing the format of a report filed under this chapter with an authority other than the commission, the commission shall ensure that:
(1)  a report may be filed:
(A)  by first class United States mail or common or contract carrier;
(B)  by personal delivery; or
(C)  by electronic filing, if the authority with whom the report is required to be filed has adopted rules and procedures to provide for the electronic filing of the report and the report is filed in accordance with those rules and procedures; and
(2)  an authority with whom a report is electronically filed issues an electronic receipt for the report to the person filing the report.
(g)  In prescribing the format of a report filed under this chapter, including a report filed with an authority other than the commission under Subsection (a), the commission shall ensure that the report requires for political expenditures made with a credit card that:
(1)  the expenditures be reported in a single itemized list; and
(2)  the list include, stated by credit card issuer:
(A)  the name of the credit card issuer;
(B)  the date and amount of each expenditure; and
(C)  the date the credit card issuer was repaid for the expenditure.
(h)  Each report filed under this chapter that is not filed by electronic transfer must be accompanied by an affidavit executed by the person required to file the report.  The affidavit must contain the statement:  "I swear, or affirm, under penalty of perjury, that the accompanying report is true and correct and includes all information required to be reported by me under Title 15, Election Code."  Each report filed under this chapter by electronic transfer must be under oath by the person required to file the report and must contain, in compliance with commission specifications, the digitized signature of the person required to file the report.  A report filed under this chapter is considered to be under oath by the person required to file the report, and the person is subject to prosecution under Chapter 37, Penal Code, regardless of the absence of or a defect in the affidavit.
(i)  Each person required to file reports with the commission that comply with Subsection (b) shall file with the commission a written statement providing the manner of electronic transfer that the person will use to file the report.  A statement under this subsection must be filed not later than the 30th day before the filing deadline for the first report a person is required to file under Subsection (b).  A person who intends to change the manner of filing described by the person's most recent statement shall notify the commission of the change not later than the 30th day before the filing deadline for the report to which the change applies.  If a person does not file a statement under this subsection, the commission may accept as authentic a report filed in any manner that complies with Subsection (b).  If the commission receives a report that is not filed in the manner described by the person's most recent statement under this subsection, the commission shall promptly notify the person in writing that the commission has received a report filed in a different manner than expected.
(j)  As part of the notification required by Section 251.033, the commission shall mail the appropriate forms to each person required to file a report with the commission during that reporting period.
(k)  The commission shall prescribe forms for purposes of legislative caucus reports under Section 254.0311 that are separate and distinct from forms for other reports under this chapter.
(l)  This section applies to a report that is filed electronically or otherwise.
Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 899, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987;  Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 304, Sec. 5.11, eff. Jan. 1, 1992;  Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 43, Sec. 3, eff. Aug. 28, 1995;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1134, Sec. 6, 7, eff. Sept. 1, 1997;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1434, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 249, Sec. 2.12, 2.26, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by: 
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1225 (H.B. 1071), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1009 (H.B. 2359), Sec. 3, eff. June 17, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1009 (H.B. 2359), Sec. 6(3), eff. June 17, 2011.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 894 (H.B. 1035), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 957 (S.B. 1761), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2021.