HBA-NRS H.B. 2434 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2434
By: Madden
Elections
4/3/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, the definitions of campaign contribution and
officeholder contribution refer to  received and offered political
contributions. As a result, the difference between received and offered
political contributions may be distorted. H.B. 2434 removes the reference
to offered contributions from the definitions of campaign contribution and
officeholder contribution, and specifies information regarding offered
contributions that must be included on the political reports of candidates,
officeholders, and specific-purpose committees.  

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 2434 amends the Election Code to provide that a political report
by a candidate for office must include the name of any person who made an
offer of money to the candidate during the reporting period with the intent
that it be used in connection with the candidate's campaign if the offer is
for $1,000 or more, the candidate has reason to believe the offer is for
$1,000 or more, or the offer is to cover 10 percent or more of the total
anticipated costs of the campaign. The report filed  not later than January
15 of each oddnumbered year must also include, for the specified period,
the name of each person who made an offer of money to the candidate with
the intent that it be used in connection with the candidate's campaign, if
the offered money was not received by the candidate, and the amount of the
offer (Sec. 254.061).  

The bill provides that a political report by an officeholder must include
the name of any person who made an offer of money to the officeholder
during the reporting period with the intent that it be used to defray
officeholder expenses that are not reimbursable with public money if the
offer is for $1,000 or more, or the officeholder has reason to believe that
the offer is for $1,000 or more. The report filed not later than January 15
of each odd-numbered year must also include, for the specified period, the
name of each person who made an offer of money to the officeholder with the
intent that it be used to defray officeholder expenses that are not
reimbursable with public money, if the offered money was not received by
the officeholder, and the amount of the offer (Sec. 254.091).  

The bill provides that each report by a campaign treasurer of a
specific-purpose committee must include the name of any person who made an
offer of money to the committee during the reporting period with the intent
that it be used in connection with a campaign for elective office or on a
measure, or to defray officeholder expenses that are not reimbursable with
public money if the offer is for $1,000 or more, the campaign treasurer has
reason to believe the offer is for $1,000 or more, or the offer is to cover
10 percent or more of the anticipated costs of certain campaigns. The
report filed not later than January 15 of each odd-numbered year must also
include, for the specified period,  the name of each person who made an
offer of money to the committee with the intent that it be used in
connection with a campaign for elective office or on a measure, or to
defray officeholder expenses that are not reimbursable with public money,
if the offered money was not received by the committee, and the amount of
the offer (Sec. 254.121).  
 
EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.