RESOLUTION ANALYSIS

C.S.H.J.R. 110

By: Tepper

State Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

During the 88th Legislative Session, the Texas Legislature enacted a law requiring a political subdivision that receives a campaign finance report to post that report on the political subdivision's website. However, the resolution author has informed the committee that many political subdivisions continue not to post campaign finance reports online, citing an online news article from the Texas Tribune revealing that certain political subdivisions have not complied with the law and that some candidates fail to submit required reports. C.S.H.J.R. 110 seeks to address this issue and ensure compliance with submission requirements for campaign finance reports and personal financial statements by requiring a person who is a candidate for or is elected or appointed to certain public offices to timely file those documents as a qualification for eligibility for the office.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this resolution 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 resolution does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.J.R. 110 proposes an amendment to the Texas Constitution to expand the eligibility requirements for election or appointment, as applicable, to the office of governor, senator, representative, chief justice, justice of the Supreme Court, or district judge to include the person having filed each political funding report or personal financial statement required by law before the date the person becomes ineligible under general law as a result of the person's failure to timely file the report or statement.

ELECTION DATE

The constitutional amendment proposed by this joint resolution will be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 2025.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.J.R. 110 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the resolution.

The introduced expanded the eligibility requirements for election or appointment, as applicable, to the office of governor, senator, representative, chief justice, justice of the Supreme Court, or district judge to include the person having filed each political funding report or personal financial statement required by law before a specific deadline. The substitute changes this deadline from the 14th day after the date the report or statement was due, as in the introduced, to the date the person becomes ineligible under general law as a result of the person's failure to timely file the report or statement.