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


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 1880
By: Averitt
Elections
4/7/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)



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. 

C.S.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 Section 253.098(a), Election Code, to authorize a
corporation or labor organization to make one or more direct campaign
expenditures to permit a candidate to appear at or speak to a meeting of
its stockholders or members or their families, as applicable.  Makes
conforming changes. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The substitute modifies the original bill in SECTION 1 by transferring
proposed language relating to certain expenditures by corporations and
labor organizations for appearances by candidates for public office from
Subchapter D, Chapter 253, Election Code (Restrictions on Contributions and
Expenditures) to Section 253.098(a), Election Code (Communication with
Stockholders or Members).  The substitute deletes proposed language
exempting such an expenditure from reporting requirements under Chapter
254, Election Code (Political Reporting). 

The substitute modifies the original in SECTION 3 to make a conforming
change.