BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                           H.B. 1647

                                                                                                                                         By: Hughes

                                                                                                                                             Elections

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Current statutes require that county executive committees that make or accept political contributions that, in the aggregate, exceed $5,000 in a calendar year, to appoint a campaign treasurer and file disclosure reports on contributions and expenditures.  The requirements for these small organizations are the same as those for large groups, candidates, and officeholders, as are the penalties and fines for failure to report or late reporting.  To ease the burdens on these relatively small organizations, House Bill 1647 raises the threshold for required appointment of a campaign treasurer and filing of activity reports with the Texas Ethics Commission.

 

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. 

 

 

ANALYSIS

 

House Bill 1647 amends the Election Code to require a county executive committee to appoint a campaign treasurer and file reports disclosing political contributions and expenditures if the committee accepts or makes political contributions that in the aggregate exceed $25,000, rather than $5,000, in a calendar year.

 

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

Upon passage, or if the Act does not receive a vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house, September 1, 2005.