Bill Caption

Relating to the removal of home addresses from personal financial statements filed by certain persons. 

Fiscal Notes

From the LBB: No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. 

Bill Analysis

Currently a judge or justice may have their home address removed before their financial statement is made available to the public. This bill would require that the commission remove the home address from any individual's candidate financial statement before making that statement available to the public. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

This bill strengthens a candidate's right to privacy and protects their security by requiring the removal of their home address before any financial statement that is filed becomes available to the public. Transparency in elections is important but must be balanced by appropriate security and privacy concerns, which this bill does and in so doing lifts up the principle of individual liberty.

We support HB 776 although we recommend a recommendation to make it better. Any disclosure statement that has a candidate's address information redacted should also include a certification that the candidate actually lives in the district in which they are running for office.