H.B. No. 1804 introduces new provisions to the Texas Election Code, specifically adding Section 254.04015, which mandates the Texas Ethics Commission to monitor the availability of certain reports filed by political subdivisions on their websites. The Commission is tasked with developing procedures to ensure compliance with the requirement that these reports are accessible online. If a political subdivision is found to be non-compliant, the Commission must provide written notice, and an administrative penalty of up to $2,500 may be assessed if compliance is not achieved within 30 days of receiving the notice. Each day of continued non-compliance after this period constitutes a separate violation.

The bill also stipulates that the changes will only apply to reports required to be filed on or after the effective date of the Act, with prior reports governed by existing law. The Texas Ethics Commission is required to adopt necessary rules by December 1, 2025, to implement these provisions, but political subdivisions will not face penalties until January 1, 2026. The Act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

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