BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1795

By: Zaffirini

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Some political committees have taken advantage of a loophole in current law relating to the filing of election reports, which requires the campaign treasurer of a specific-purpose committee that supports or opposes a candidate in an election and an ensuing runoff election to file a runoff election report not later than the eighth day before runoff election day. The statute does not require a political committee that does not participate in the election to file an eight-day runoff report. 

S.B. 1795 requires the campaign treasurer of certain political committees that become involved in a runoff election to file one report for the runoff election, regardless of whether the committees participated in the initial election.

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

S.B. 1795 amends Election Code provisions that require the filing of a report of political contributions and expenditures in connection with an election to apply such requirements to the campaign treasurer of a specific-purpose committee that supports or opposes a candidate in a runoff election or the campaign treasurer of a general-purpose committee involved in such an election, rather than the campaign treasurer of such committees involved in both an initial election and an ensuing runoff election.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.