HBA-RBT H.B. 2163 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2163 By: Farabee Elections 3/27/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Specific-purpose committees formed to support a candidate or assist an officeholder are not currently required to have the candidate's or officeholder's written authorization to use the candidate's or officeholder's name. There is a concern that the potential exists for persons to contribute to such a committee under the mistaken impression that a particular candidate has sanctioned the use of the candidate's name. H.B. 2163 requires a specific-purpose committee that is formed to support a candidate or assist an officeholder to have the candidate's or officeholder's written authorization to use the candidate's or officeholder's name. 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 252.0031, Election Code, by adding Subsection (c), to prohibit the name of a specific-purpose committee for supporting a candidate or assisting an officeholder from including the name of the candidate or officeholder the committee supports or assists unless the candidate or officeholder authorizes the committee in writing to include the candidate's or officeholder's name. Provides that the authorization must be filed with the campaign treasurer appointment. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Requires each specific-purpose committee for supporting a candidate or assisting an officeholder whose name includes the name of the candidate or officeholder to file, no later than October 1, 1999, a written authorization from the candidate or officeholder or an amended name for the committee that does not include the candidate or officeholder's name with the authority with whom the committee's campaign treasurer appointment is required to be filed. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.