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.