HBA-BSM S.B. 124 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 124
By: Shapiro
Judicial Affairs
5/3/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, district judges are not required to file campaign
reports electronically with the Texas Ethics Commission.    It may be
helpful for the public and other interested parties to be able secure from
one source and in a standardized format the records of campaign
contributions and expenditures by each district judge candidate if the
candidate's level of financial activity meets the electronic filing
threshold. Senate Bill 124 requires district judges to file such campaign
reports electronically.   

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

Senate Bill 124 amends the Election Code to require a district judge who
accepts political contributions or makes political expenditures that in the
aggregate exceed $20, 000 in a calendar year to file campaign reports
electronically with the Texas Ethics Commission.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.