BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                           H.B. 1945

                                                                                                                                    By: Hilderbran

                                                                                                                                             Elections

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Under current law, a party chairman is required to file a personal financial statement with the Texas Ethics Commission, just as most state officeholders are required to do so.  Current law also defines party chairman as the state chairman of any political party receiving more than two percent of the vote for governor in the most recent general election. To many, however, it is unclear whether the requirements in the Government Code relating to the party chairman refer to the state party chair or county party chair, because this definition is located much earlier.  House Bill 1945 attempts to clarify the provisions and eliminate the confusion.

 

 

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 1945 amends the Government Code to replace references to party chairman with state party chair, in provisions relating to the filing of personal financial statements.  The bill provides that state party chair means the state chair of a political party receiving more than two percent of the vote for governor in the most recent general election.

 

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

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