HBA-NMO H.B. 2494 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2494
By: Farabee
Elections
3/27/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law provides that each political expenditure report must include
political expenditures and non-political expenditures, requiring varying
levels of specificity relating to the nature of the expenditure based on
amount and type.  The law excludes from this reporting requirement a direct
campaign expenditure that is made by the principal political committee of a
political party on behalf of a slate of two or more nominees of that party. 

H.B. 2494 requires more complete reporting of political expenditures, both
contributions and direct expenditures.  This bill also modifies the
political party direct campaign expenditure reporting exclusion by
restricting it to printed or published materials on behalf of a slate of at
least three of the party's nominees.        

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 254.031, Election Code, as follows:

Sec. 254.031.  GENERAL CONTENTS OF REPORTS.  (a) Specifies that the amount
of political expenditures that in the aggregate exceed $50 reported under
this chapter (Political Reporting) are those expenditures in the form of
political contributions to candidates, officeholders, and political
committees.  Provides that the report must include the full name and
address of the candidates, officeholders, and political committees, rather
than persons, to whom the contributions, rather than expenditures, are
made.  Provides that the report, rather than including the purposes of the
expenditures,  must specify the dates of the contributions, and as
applicable, the office sought or held by the candidate or officeholder to
whom the contribution relates, an identification of each measure supported
or opposed, or a statement that the recipient of the contribution is a
general-purpose committee.  Provides that a report filed under chapter, in
addition to other information, must include: 

 _the amount of direct campaign expenditures that in the aggregate exceed
$50, the full name and address of the persons to whom the expenditures are
made, the dates and purposes of the expenditures, and as applicable the
name of each candidate or office holder whom the expenditure benefits and
the office sought or held, or an identification of each measure in support
of or opposition to for which the expenditures are made; 

 _the amount of political expenditures, other than political contributions
to candidates, officeholders, and political committees and direct campaign
expenditures, that in the aggregate exceed $50, the full name and address
of the persons to whom the expenditures are made, and the dates and
purposes of the expenditures; 

 _the total amount or a specific listing of the direct campaign
expenditures of $50; and 

  _the total amount or a specific listing of the political expenditures,
other than political contributions to candidates, officeholders, and
political committees and direct campaign expenditures, of $50 or less.  
 
Deletes language excluding from reporting requirements a direct campaign
expenditure that is made by the principal political committee of a
political party on behalf of a slate of two or more nominees of that party.
Makes conforming changes. 

(b) Provides that the provision specifying the inclusion in the report of
the office sought or held by the candidate or officeholder to whom a
political contribution relates does not apply to a direct campaign
expenditure that is made by the principal political committee of a
political party on behalf of a slate of three or more nominees of that
party, if the expenditure is for printed materials or political advertising
published in a newspaper, magazine, or other printed medium.  

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.