85R13927 AJZ-D     By: Fallon H.B. No. 4036       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the timely filing of reports of political contributions   and expenditures; increasing a criminal penalty.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 254.041, Election Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as   follows:          (b)  Except as provided by Subsections (b-1) and   [Subsection] (c), an offense under this section is a Class C   misdemeanor.          (b-1)  A violation of Subsection (a)(1) is a Class B   misdemeanor if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the   person knowingly failed to file three or more consecutive reports   under this chapter on time.          SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to   a report required to be filed under Chapter 254, Election Code, on   or after the effective date of this Act.  A report required to be   filed before the effective date of this Act is subject to the law in   effect at the time the report was filed, and the former law is   continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.