HBA-NMO H.B. 2494 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2494 By: Farabee Elections 3/27/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law provides that each political expenditure report must include political expenditures and non-political expenditures, requiring varying levels of specificity relating to the nature of the expenditure based on amount and type. The law excludes from this reporting requirement a direct campaign expenditure that is made by the principal political committee of a political party on behalf of a slate of two or more nominees of that party. H.B. 2494 requires more complete reporting of political expenditures, both contributions and direct expenditures. This bill also modifies the political party direct campaign expenditure reporting exclusion by restricting it to printed or published materials on behalf of a slate of at least three of the party's nominees. 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 254.031, Election Code, as follows: Sec. 254.031. GENERAL CONTENTS OF REPORTS. (a) Specifies that the amount of political expenditures that in the aggregate exceed $50 reported under this chapter (Political Reporting) are those expenditures in the form of political contributions to candidates, officeholders, and political committees. Provides that the report must include the full name and address of the candidates, officeholders, and political committees, rather than persons, to whom the contributions, rather than expenditures, are made. Provides that the report, rather than including the purposes of the expenditures, must specify the dates of the contributions, and as applicable, the office sought or held by the candidate or officeholder to whom the contribution relates, an identification of each measure supported or opposed, or a statement that the recipient of the contribution is a general-purpose committee. Provides that a report filed under chapter, in addition to other information, must include: _the amount of direct campaign expenditures that in the aggregate exceed $50, the full name and address of the persons to whom the expenditures are made, the dates and purposes of the expenditures, and as applicable the name of each candidate or office holder whom the expenditure benefits and the office sought or held, or an identification of each measure in support of or opposition to for which the expenditures are made; _the amount of political expenditures, other than political contributions to candidates, officeholders, and political committees and direct campaign expenditures, that in the aggregate exceed $50, the full name and address of the persons to whom the expenditures are made, and the dates and purposes of the expenditures; _the total amount or a specific listing of the direct campaign expenditures of $50; and _the total amount or a specific listing of the political expenditures, other than political contributions to candidates, officeholders, and political committees and direct campaign expenditures, of $50 or less. Deletes language excluding from reporting requirements a direct campaign expenditure that is made by the principal political committee of a political party on behalf of a slate of two or more nominees of that party. Makes conforming changes. (b) Provides that the provision specifying the inclusion in the report of the office sought or held by the candidate or officeholder to whom a political contribution relates does not apply to a direct campaign expenditure that is made by the principal political committee of a political party on behalf of a slate of three or more nominees of that party, if the expenditure is for printed materials or political advertising published in a newspaper, magazine, or other printed medium. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.