BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2554

By: Bucy

Elections

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that there are various statutory provisions relating to the display of signs containing political advertising, including provisions protecting the right of property owners in a property owners' association to display certain signs advertising a candidate or measure on their property for a specified period of time. C.S.H.B. 2554 seeks to group these provisions together in statute.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change 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

C.S.H.B. 2554 transfers certain provisions of the Local Government Code and the Property Code relating to regulation of the display of signs containing political advertising to the Election Code and redesignates certain provisions of the Election Code relating to that subject matter.

C.S.H.B. 2554 amends the Government Code to make a conforming change.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2554 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute does not include provisions relating to the regulation of political signs displayed by a tenant or a student residing in housing offered by a public institution of higher education.