By: Tepper H.B. No. 1804 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to monitoring and enforcement by the Texas Ethics Commission of the requirement that certain reports filed with a political subdivision are available on the Internet; providing an administrative penalty. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 254, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 254.04015 to read as follows: Sec. 254.04015. MONITORING AVAILABILITY OF CERTAIN REPORTS ON INTERNET; ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTY. (a) The commission shall develop procedures for monitoring the Internet websites of each political subdivision that is required to make a report available on the political subdivision's Internet website under Section 254.0401(b) to ensure the political subdivision is in substantial compliance with that requirement. If the commission determines that a political subdivision is not in substantial compliance with the requirement under Section 254.0401(b), the commission shall provide to the political subdivision written notice of that determination. (b) The commission may assess an administrative penalty in an amount not to exceed $2,500 against a political subdivision that is not in substantial compliance with the requirement described by Subsection (a) before the 30th day after the date the political subdivision receives the notice under that subsection. Each day a political subdivision is not in substantial compliance with that requirement after the 30th day after the date the political subdivision receives the notice constitutes a separate violation for purposes of imposing an administrative penalty under this subsection. (c) The commission shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this section, including rules defining the meaning of substantial compliance for purposes of this section. SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to a report under Chapter 254, Election Code, that is required to be filed on or after the effective date of this Act. A report under that chapter that is required to be filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the report is required to be filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. (a) Not later than December 1, 2025, the Texas Ethics Commission shall adopt rules as required by Section 254.04015, Election Code, as added by this Act. (b) Notwithstanding Section 254.04015, Election Code, as added by this Act, a political subdivision is not subject to an administrative penalty under that section before January 1, 2026. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.