BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center C.S.H.B. 27
80R20338 ESH-D By: Berman (Williams)
Committee Report (Substituted)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, if an individual or entity can claim statutory exemption for filing their campaign finance reports electronically or if the individual or entity chooses to turn in an electronic form of those reports by computer diskette, the individual or entity must send the reports by mail. Even when sent prior to the prescribed deadline, it may be days before the reports are accessible to the public. A requirement that those entities who send their reports by mail deliver those files by the filing deadline or have them sent overnight to the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) would promote fairness between entities and individuals filing these reports.
C.S.H.B. 27 requires individuals and entities who send their campaign finance reports to TEC by mail to either send them by overnight delivery or send them early enough to be received by TEC by the filing deadline.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 254.036, Election Code, by adding Subsection (b-1), to require a political report filed with the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) that complies with Subsection (a) (providing the formatting requirements of a paper report) or that is filed on computer diskette under Subsection (b) (requiring reports to be filed by a computer diskette, modem, or other means of electronic transfer) to be received by TEC by the filing deadline or delivered by overnight delivery through the United States mail or a contract carrier.
SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2007.