CHAPTER 258. FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES
ELECTION CODE
TITLE 15. REGULATING POLITICAL FUNDS AND CAMPAIGNS
CHAPTER 258. FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES
Sec. 258.001. SHORT TITLE. This chapter may be cited as the
Fair Campaign Practices Act.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 168, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1997.
Sec. 258.002. PURPOSE. (a) The purpose of this chapter is to
encourage every candidate and political committee to subscribe to
the Code of Fair Campaign Practices.
(b) It is the intent of the legislature that every candidate and
political committee that subscribes to the Code of Fair Campaign
Practices will follow the basic principles of decency, honesty,
and fair play to encourage healthy competition and open
discussion of issues and candidate qualifications and to
discourage practices that cloud the issues or unfairly attack
opponents.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 168, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1997.
Sec. 258.003. DELIVERY OF COPY OF CODE. (a) When a candidate
or political committee files its campaign treasurer appointment,
the authority with whom the appointment is filed shall give the
candidate or political committee a blank form of the Code of Fair
Campaign Practices and a copy of this chapter.
(b) The authority shall inform each candidate or political
committee that the candidate or committee may subscribe to and
file the code with the authority and that subscription to the
code is voluntary.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 168, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1997.
Sec. 258.004. TEXT OF CODE. The Code of Fair Campaign Practices
reads as follows:
CODE OF FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES
There are basic principles of decency, honesty, and fair play
that every candidate and political committee in this state has a
moral obligation to observe and uphold, in order that, after
vigorously contested but fairly conducted campaigns, our citizens
may exercise their constitutional rights to a free and
untrammeled choice and the will of the people may be fully and
clearly expressed on the issues.
THEREFORE:
(1) I will conduct the campaign openly and publicly and limit
attacks on my opponent to legitimate challenges to my opponent's
record and stated positions on issues.
(2) I will not use or permit the use of character defamation,
whispering campaigns, libel, slander, or scurrilous attacks on
any candidate or the candidate's personal or family life.
(3) I will not use or permit any appeal to negative prejudice
based on race, sex, religion, or national origin.
(4) I will not use campaign material of any sort that
misrepresents, distorts, or otherwise falsifies the facts, nor
will I use malicious or unfounded accusations that aim at
creating or exploiting doubts, without justification, as to the
personal integrity or patriotism of my opponent.
(5) I will not undertake or condone any dishonest or unethical
practice that tends to corrupt or undermine our system of free
elections or that hampers or prevents the full and free
expression of the will of the voters, including any activity
aimed at intimidating voters or discouraging them from voting.
(6) I will defend and uphold the right of every qualified voter
to full and equal participation in the electoral process, and
will not engage in any activity aimed at intimidating voters or
discouraging them from voting.
(7) I will immediately and publicly repudiate methods and
tactics that may come from others that I have pledged not to use
or condone. I shall take firm action against any subordinate who
violates any provision of this code or the laws governing
elections.
I, the undersigned, candidate for election to public office in
the State of Texas or campaign treasurer of a political
committee, hereby voluntarily endorse, subscribe to, and solemnly
pledge myself to conduct the campaign in accordance with the
above principles and practices.
______________
____________________
Date
Signature
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 168, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1997.
Sec. 258.005. FORMS. The commission shall print copies of the
Code of Fair Campaign Practices and shall supply the forms to the
authorities with whom copies of the code may be filed in
quantities and at times requested by the authorities.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 168, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1997.
Sec. 258.006. ACCEPTANCE AND PRESERVATION OF COPIES. (a) An
authority with whom a campaign treasurer appointment is filed
shall accept each completed copy of the code submitted to the
authority that is properly subscribed to by a candidate or the
campaign treasurer of a political committee.
(b) Each copy of the code accepted under this section shall be
preserved by the authority with whom it is filed for the period
prescribed for the filer's campaign treasurer appointment.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 168, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1997.
Sec. 258.007. SUBSCRIPTION TO CODE VOLUNTARY. The subscription
to the Code of Fair Campaign Practices by a candidate or a
political committee is voluntary.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 168, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1997.
Sec. 258.008. INDICATION ON POLITICAL ADVERTISING. A candidate
or a political committee that has filed a copy of the Code of
Fair Campaign Practices may so indicate on political advertising
in a form to be determined by the commission.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 168, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1997.
Sec. 258.009. CIVIL CAUSE OF ACTION. This chapter does not
create a civil cause of action for recovery of damages or for
enforcement of this chapter.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 168, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1997.