AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Under current law, a candidate for public office in this state must provide the candidate’s residence address on the candidate’s application for a place on the ballot. The address, together with other information provided by the candidate, is posted on a publicly viewable website maintained by the Secretary of State. The publication of a candidate’s home address raises significant privacy concerns.
This legislation would require a candidate to provide the candidate’s campaign mailing address on the ballot application so that the candidate’s residence address is not posted on the Secretary of State’s publicly viewable website.
As proposed, S.B. 1073 amends current law relating to the provision of a candidate's campaign mailing address and electronic mail address in the candidate's application for a place on the ballot.
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 141.031(a), Election Code, by requiring a candidate's application for a place on the ballot that is required by this code to include a mailing address and any available electronic mail address at which the candidate receives correspondence relating to the candidate's campaign, and, if the candidate maintains a campaign-related website, the website address.
SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 172, Election Code, by adding Section 172.0221, as follows:
Sec. 172.0221. NOTICE TO CANDIDATE REGARDING POSTING OF CERTAIN INFORMATION. Requires the authority with whom an application is filed to inform the candidate that the candidate's mailing address and, if provided on the application, the candidate's electronic mail address and campaign-related website address will be posted by the secretary of state on the secretary's publicly viewable website.
SECTION 3. Amends Section 172.028(a), Election Code, by requiring the secretary of state to post on the secretary's Internet website that is viewable by the public the certified list, the mailing address for each certified candidate and, if provided by the candidate, the electronic mail address at which the candidate receives correspondence relating to the candidate's campaign, and the website address of any campaign-related website maintained by the candidate, if provided by the candidate.
SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2015.