SRC-ARR C.S.S.B. 1364 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 1364
By: Harris
State Affairs
5/3/1999
Committee Report (Amended)


DIGEST 

Currently, the Election Code has a separate provision for out-of-state
political committees (PACs) and requires such PACs to report in Texas only
if they make 20 percent or more of their expenditures in Texas. Inflation
and the growing amount of campaign dollars moving into PACs has gradually
made this provision into an area in which there can be a considerable gap
in campaign finance reporting due to raise monies out-of-state, thus by
passing state regulations. S.B. 1364 corrects for inflation by raising the
percent of donations made outside Texas. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1364 redefines out-of-state political committees.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subsection (15), Section 251.001, Election Code, to
redefine "out-of-state political committee" to mean a political committee
that makes 90 percent, rather than 80 percent, or more of the committee's
total political expenditures in any combination of elections outside this
state and federal offices not voted on in this state.  

SECTION 2. Amends Section 253.032, Election Code, by adding Subsections (f)
and (g), to prohibit a candidate, officeholder or political committee from
violating any provisions of Title 15, Election Code, by accepting any
contribution or transfer from any out-of-state political committee's
compliance with any reporting requirement of Title 15, Election Code.
Provides that out-of-state persons, including but not limited to
out-of-state political committees, that make contributions or transfers of
funds to a political party pursuant to Section 253.104 or Section 257.002
are exempt from the reporting requirements of this Title. Authorizes any
federally-registered out-of-state political committee that contributes to a
Texas candidate to satisfy the reporting requirements of Title 15, Election
Code, by taking certain action. 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 4. Emergency clause.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 2. 

Adds new SECTION 2 to amend Section 253.032, Election Code,  to prohibit a
candidate, officeholder or political committee form violating any
provisions of Title 15, Election Code. Provides that out-of-state persons,
including but not limited to out-of-state political committees, that make
contributions or transfers of funds to a political party pursuant to
Section 253.104 or Section 257.002, are exempt from the reporting
requirements of this Title. Authorizes any federally-registered
out-of-state political committee that contributes to a Texas candidate to
satisfy the reporting requirements of Title 15, Election Code, by taking
certain action.