HBA-RBT H.B. 2222 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2222
By: Danburg
Elections
3/14/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

In some instances, a person may contribute to a candidate or political
action committee (PAC).  The PAC may then make a contribution to a
candidate without the consent of the original donor.  The contributor then
may be supporting a candidate they never would have supported knowingly.
H.B. 2222 requires a candidate to provide in the report already required of
the candidate, the name and address of a general-purpose committee or
candidate to whom the candidate is contributing.  This bill further
requires a candidate to adhere to statutory notice provisions regarding
these types of donations, with certain exceptions. 

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 Sections 252.003(a) and (b), Election Code, to provide
that a campaign treasurer appointment by a general-purpose committee must
include the full name and address of each candidate to whom the committee
intends to make political contributions.  Provides that a general-purpose
committee that files monthly reports as provided by Section 254.155 (Option
to File Monthly; Notice) is not required to file an amended appointment if
the only information that changes is the information required to be
included under Subsection (a)(3), but must include the changed information
in the first amended appointment the committee is otherwise required to
file under this subsection or Section 252.002(b) (Contents of Appointment). 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 252.0032, Election Code, to provide that a
campaign treasurer appointment by a candidate must include the full name
and address of each general-purpose committee or candidate to whom the
candidate intends to make political contributions.  Requires a candidate to
promptly file an amended appointment with the authority with whom the
appointment is required to be filed if any of the information required to
be included in a candidate's appointment changes. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 253.037, Election Code, to prohibit a
general-purpose committee other than a committee that files monthly reports
as provided by Section 254.155 from making a political contribution to a
candidate unless the committee's campaign treasurer appointment listing the
candidate has been filed within 30 days, except that this section does not
apply to a political contribution consisting of the purchase of a ticket to
a fundraising dinner or similar event if the cost of the ticket does not
exceed the value received by the person attending the dinner or event. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 253, Election Code, by adding
Section 253.040, as follows: 

Sec.  253.040.  LIMITATION ON CERTAIN CONTRIBUTIONS BY CANDIDATES.
Prohibits a candidate from knowingly making or authorizing a political
contribution to a general-purpose committee or to another candidate unless
the candidate's campaign treasurer appointment listing the committee or the
other candidate has been filed within 30 days, except that this section
does not apply to a political contribution consisting of the purchase  of a
ticket to a fundraising dinner or similar event if the cost of the ticket
does not exceed the value received by the person attending the dinner or
event.  Provides that a violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor. 

SECTION 5.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 6.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 7.  Emergency clause.