BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2034

By: Capriglione

State Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that the Texas Ethics Commission requires a legislative caucus to file a report to ensure transparency regarding political contributions and expenditures regardless of whether the caucus accepts monetary donations. The parties contend that producing these reports burdens legislative caucuses that have no reportable activity during a particular reporting period.  H.B. 2034 seeks to address this issue.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

H.B. 2034 amends the Election Code to exempt a legislative caucus from the requirement to file with the Texas Ethics Commission a report of political contributions and expenditures for a reporting period during which no reportable activity occurred and adds that exemption as an exception to the requirement that a legislative caucus file with the commission two reports for each year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.