HBA-LCA H.B. 1880 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1880
By: Averitt
Elections
3/10/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Under current law, a corporation or labor organization may extend an
invitation to a political candidate to address its membership only if all
candidates for the office are given the same opportunity to appear. 

H.B. 1880 allows a corporation or labor organization to make one or more
direct campaign expenditures to a single candidate to allow the candidate
to address the members of the corporation or labor organization. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter D, Chapter 253, Election Code, by adding
Section 253.105, as follows: 

Sec. 253.105.  EXPENDITURE FOR APPEARANCE BY CANDIDATE.  (a)  Authorizes a
corporation or labor organization to make direct campaign expenditures from
its own property to permit a candidate to appear at or speak to a meeting
of its stockholders or members or their families. 

(b)   Provides that an expenditure under this section is not reportable
under Chapter 254 (Political Reporting). 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.