HBA-DMH H.B. 407 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 407 By: Denny Elections 7/16/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE State law requires candidates for the state senate or the state house of representatives who have an opponent and who receive contributions from a person that in the aggregate exceed $1,000 during the period, beginning the ninth day before election day and ending at noon on the second day before election day, to file additional reports. The same reporting requirements apply to specific-purpose committees that support or oppose a candidate for the state senate or the state house of representatives. This requirement makes it possible for the public to have access to the campaign finance information of these candidates and specific-purpose committees in the final days of a campaign. Prior to the 77th Legislature, there was no such requirement for candidates for statewide office or related specific-purpose committees. House Bill 407 establishes the same reporting requirements for opposed candidates for statewide office and for specific-purpose committees that support or oppose a candidate for statewide office that accept political contributions from a person that in the aggregate exceed $1,000 during the aforementioned reporting period. 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. ANALYSIS House Bill 407 amends the Election Code to require a candidate for statewide office who has an opponent listed on the ballot or a specific-purpose committee for supporting or opposing a candidate for statewide office to file additional reports during the period beginning the ninth day before election day and ending at noon on the second day before election day if, during that reporting period, the candidate or committee accepts political contributions from a person that total in excess of $1,000. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.