1) Require Candidates and PACs to Make Electronic Disclosures:

Candidates for legislative and statewide offices should be required to file contribution and expenditure reports with the Texas Ethics Commission in an electronic format, allowing the information to be posted on the Internet almost immediately. Exemptions should be made for campaigns and committees that raise modest amounts of money ($5,000 or less).

2) Close the Out-of-State PAC Loophole:

PACs registered outside Texas are not required to file disclosure reports unless their Texas expenditures exceed 20% of the PAC’s total political expenditures in other states. This loophole needs to be closed so that out-of-state PACs are held to the same disclosure standard as Texas-based PACs.

3) Require Post-Election Reporting:

Candidates and committees do not file complete contribution and expenditure reports for the period 10 days prior to the November election through the end of the calendar year until January 15 of the following year. All candidates should be required to file a post-election report covering the period beginning 10 days prior to the November election through November 15. This report should be due no later than December 5th.

4) Tally “Cash on Hand”:

All candidates and committee reports should be required to list the total amount of “cash on hand” at the end of each reporting period.

5) Require Employer/Occupation Information on Itemized Contributions:

Employer and occupation information should be required for all donors of itemized contributions. Candidates and committees should be prohibited from depositing or using itemized contributions whenever such information is not disclosed.