Forms & Instructions

General-Purpose Committees (GPAC/MPAC)

All general-purpose committees (GPACs) are required to file with the Ethics Commission. A general-purpose committee that elects to file monthly reports is a MPAC.

Specific-Purpose Committees (SPAC/JSPAC)

Specific-purpose committees (SPACs) that support or oppose candidates or officeholders who file with the Ethics Commission are also required to file with the Ethics Commission. A specific-purpose committee for supporting or opposing judicial candidates or officeholders is a JSPAC. SPACs that support or oppose a measure that is voted on statewide are required to file with the Ethics Commission. SPACs that support or oppose school bond measures are required to file the campaign treasurer appointment locally and campaign finance reports with the Ethics Commission.

State/County Chair Candidates and Specific-Purpose Committees (SCPC)

A political committee that supports or opposes a candidate for state chair of a political party with a nominee on the ballot in the most recent gubernatorial election, or a candidate for county chair of a political party with a nominee on the ballot in the most recent gubernatorial general election and in a county with a population of 350,000 or more file with the Ethics Commission (SCPC).

Direct Campaign Expenditure Only Committees (GPAC/SPAC)

A political committee that intends to act exclusively as a Direct Campaign Expenditure Only Committee (DCE Only Committee) must file with the Ethics Commission an affidavit that contains the language required by section 253.105 of the Election Code before accepting a political contribution from a corporation or labor organization. A committee may create and file its own affidavit with the required language or it may request an affidavit from the Commission. These committees are commonly referred to as “Super PACs.”

These committees can be either General-Purpose or Specific-Purpose, but they do not make political contributions directly to candidates, officeholders, or other committees that are established or controlled by a candidate or officeholder. See the GPAC or SPAC Forms & Instruction above for further information.

Such a committee must also include an additional separate statement in its campaign treasurer appointment before it uses such contributions to make a direct campaign expenditure in connection with a campaign for elective office. This separate statement must be filed using the appropriate campaign treasurer appointment form prescribed by the Commission.

Candidates/Officeholders Reporting Use of Unexpended Contributions as a Specific-Purpose Committee (ASIF-SPAC)

Former candidates and officeholders who use leftover contributions to contribute to other candidates or committees that file with the Ethics Commission are required to file a report with the Ethics Commission as if they were treasurer of a specific-purpose committee (AS IF-SPAC).

Note: Form ASIF-SPAC replaces using Form SPAC