BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2471 By: Davis, Sarah General Investigating & Ethics Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Interested parties contend that there should be a clear rule against a political subdivision spending or authorizing the use of public funds to make political contributions or expenditures. H.B. 2471 seeks to clearly prohibit such actions. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly does one or more of the following: creates a criminal offense, increases the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or changes the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 2471 amends the Election Code to prohibit an officer or employee of a political subdivision from spending or authorizing the spending of public funds to make a political contribution or a political expenditure and from directly or indirectly employing a person to use public funds to make such an unlawful contribution or expenditure. The bill creates a Class A misdemeanor offense for an officer or employee of a political subdivision who violates those prohibitions. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2017.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 2471
By: Davis, Sarah
General Investigating & Ethics
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 2471
By: Davis, Sarah
General Investigating & Ethics
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Interested parties contend that there should be a clear rule against a political subdivision spending or authorizing the use of public funds to make political contributions or expenditures. H.B. 2471 seeks to clearly prohibit such actions.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly does one or more of the following: creates a criminal offense, increases the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or changes the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 2471 amends the Election Code to prohibit an officer or employee of a political subdivision from spending or authorizing the spending of public funds to make a political contribution or a political expenditure and from directly or indirectly employing a person to use public funds to make such an unlawful contribution or expenditure. The bill creates a Class A misdemeanor offense for an officer or employee of a political subdivision who violates those prohibitions.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2017.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Interested parties contend that there should be a clear rule against a political subdivision spending or authorizing the use of public funds to make political contributions or expenditures. H.B. 2471 seeks to clearly prohibit such actions.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly does one or more of the following: creates a criminal offense, increases the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or changes the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 2471 amends the Election Code to prohibit an officer or employee of a political subdivision from spending or authorizing the spending of public funds to make a political contribution or a political expenditure and from directly or indirectly employing a person to use public funds to make such an unlawful contribution or expenditure. The bill creates a Class A misdemeanor offense for an officer or employee of a political subdivision who violates those prohibitions.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2017.