Campaign finance agencies in Texas
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In Texas, there is one primary agency involved in campaign finance regulation: the Texas Ethics Commission.
- See also: Campaign finance requirements in Texas
Authority
The Texas Ethics Commission was created on November 5, 1991, by an amendment to the state constitution. The agency is responsible for the filing of campaign finance reports and enforcement of Title 15 of the Texas Election Code, which is concerned with political contributions and finances.[1]
Organization
The Texas Ethics Commission consists of eight members. Members are appointed to four-year terms. Four are appointed by the governor, two by the lieutenant governor, and two by the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. The tables below provide information on the members and staff of the Texas Ethics Commission.[2][3]
| Texas Ethics Commission—members as of July 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Appointment | End of term |
| Hugh C. Akin | Member | Lt. Governor | 11/19/2017 |
| Jim Clancy | Member | Governor | 11/19/2017 |
| Wilhelmina Delco | Member | Lt. Governor | 11/19/2015 |
| Tom Harrison | Member | Governor | 11/19/2011 |
| Paul W. Hobby | Chair | Speaker | 11/19/2015 |
| Bob Long | Member | Governor | 11/19/2015 |
| Tom Ramsay | Member | Governor | 11/19/2017 |
| Chase Untermeyer | Vice Chair | Speaker | 11/19/2017 |
| Note: Although Harrison’s term appeared to have expired in 2011, it was unclear as of July 2015 whether he was still serving on the commission. Source: ethics.state.tx.us, "Commissioners," November 20, 2014 | |||
| Texas Ethics Commission—staff as of July 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | ||
| Natalia Luna Ashley | Executive Director | ||
| John Moore | Director of Enforcement | ||
| Robbie Douglas | Director of Disclosure Filing | ||
| Jessie Haug | Director of Computer Services | ||
| Michael McElhaney | CFO/Director of Administration | ||
| Source: ethics.state.tx.us, "Contact Us," May 29, 2014 | |||
Agency budget
In fiscal year 2014, general fund spending for the commission equaled $5,495,463. This represented a 285 percent increase over the previous fiscal year.[4]
| Texas Ethics Commission—agency budget | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fiscal year | General funds budget | |
| 2012 | $1,920,420 | |
| 2013 | $1,923,813 | |
| 2014 | $5,495,463 | |
| Source: ethics.state.tx.us, "Operating Budget 2014," accessed July 29, 2015 | ||
Electronic reporting system
The Texas Ethics Commission hosts an online filing system for candidates, PACs, lobbyists, and parties. The filed reports can be accessed here.[5]
Contact information
Texas Ethics Commission
- P. O. Box 12070
- Austin, TX 78711-2070
- Telephone: (512) 463-5800
- Fax: (512) 463-5777
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Campaign finance Texas. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ ethics.state.tx.us, "Constitutional and Statutory Duties," accessed July 29, 2015
- ↑ ethics.state.tx.us, "Commissioners," November 20, 2014
- ↑ ethics.state.tx.us, "Contact Us," May 29, 2014
- ↑ ethics.state.tx.us, "Operating Budget 2014," accessed July 29, 2015
- ↑ ethics.state.tx.us, "Electronic Filing Application," accessed July 29, 2015
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