Relating to reports of contributions and expenditures by legislative caucuses.
Impact
A significant change introduced by HB 928 is that individual members of a legislative caucus are no longer held personally responsible for the filing of reports. Instead, the responsibility is transferred to the caucus as an entity and the appointed treasurer. This change can potentially improve compliance and reduce the burden on individual members, allowing them to focus more on legislative duties rather than administrative obligations.
Summary
House Bill 928 is an act that amends the provisions concerning reports of contributions and expenditures by legislative caucuses in Texas. The bill specifically modifies Section 254.0311 of the Election Code to clarify the responsibility for filing reports. Under the new provisions, if no reportable activity occurs during a reporting period, the legislative caucus is not required to file a report. This aims to reduce unnecessary paperwork for caucuses that do not engage in financial activities during certain periods.
Contention
The bill does raise some points of contention regarding transparency and accountability within legislative caucuses. While proponents advocate for reduced burdens on members, critics might argue that the changes could lead to less oversight and a decrease in financial disclosure from political groups. The concern lies in how this could impact public trust in the legislative process and whether these measures provide adequate transparency concerning the financial dealings of caucuses.