HBA-RBT H.B. 1421 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1421
By: Madden
Elections
3/11/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the limit on certain political contributions and expenditures
over $50 must be reported. This amount may require a degree of work by the
campaign's treasurer which is disproportionate to the degree of influence
the amount of the contribution represents.  H.B. 1421 allows contributions
and expenditures under $100 to be exempt from individual reporting and
disclosure. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 253.157(a), Election Code, as amended by
Chapters 479 and 552, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997,
to prohibit a judicial candidate, officeholder or a specific-purpose
committee from accepting a political contribution in excess of $100, rather
than $50, under specified circumstances. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 254.031(a), Election Code, to provide that the
amount of contributions, loans, and expenditures of over $100, rather than
$50, must be included in a report filed under this chapter.  Makes
conforming changes. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 254.0311(b), Election Code, to make conforming
changes. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 254.0611(a), Election Code, to make a conforming
change. 

SECTION 5.  Amends Section 254.151, Election Code, to make a conforming
change. 

SECTION 6.  Provides that the text of Section 253.157(a), Election Code, as
set out in Section 1 of this Act, gives effect to changes made by Chapters
479 and 552, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997.  Provides
that this Act prevails over any other Act of the 76th Legislature, Regular
Session, 1999, relating to nonsubstantive additions and corrections in
enacted codes. 

SECTION 7.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.
            Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 8.  Emergency clause.