BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1761
	By: Zaffirini
	State Affairs
	6/1/2021
	Enrolled

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Texas law requires some candidates, political committees, and general-purpose committees to file campaign reports regarding contributions received during the final days before an election. Currently, these sections contain anachronistic references to submitting these reports via telegram.   

S.B. 1761 would modernize the Election Code by eliminating these references to telegrams. Persons required to file these reports with the Texas Ethics Commission could transmit them electronically or via fax or deliver them in-person.

(Original Author's / Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

S.B. 1761 amends current law relating to the filing of certain reports of political contributions and expenditures.

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 (g), as follows:

(g) Requires the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC), in prescribing the format of a report filed under Chapter 254 (Political Reporting), including a report filed with an authority other than TEC under Subsection (a) (relating to the required format of certain reports), to ensure that the report requires for political expenditures made with a credit card that:

(1) the expenditures be reported in a single itemized list; and

(2) the list include, stated by credit card issuer the name of the credit card issuer, the date and amount of each expenditure, and the date the credit card issuer was repaid for the expenditure.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 254.038(c), Election Code, to delete existing text authorizing a report under Section 254.038 (Special Report Near Election by Certain Candidates and Political Committees) to be filed by telegram. Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes.

SECTION 3. Amends Section 254.039(a-1), Election Code, to delete existing text authorizing a report filed under Section 254.039 (Special Report Near Election by Certain General-Purpose Committees) to be filed by telegram.

SECTION 4. Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 5. Effective date: September 1, 2021.