Bill Text: TX SB1706 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to restrictions on political contributions by out-of-state contributors; providing a civil penalty.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-16 - Referred to State Affairs [SB1706 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-SB1706-Introduced.html
  88R2529 JG-D
 
  By: Middleton S.B. No. 1706
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to restrictions on political contributions by
  out-of-state contributors; providing a civil penalty.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 253, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 253.044 to read as follows:
         Sec. 253.044.  POLITICAL CONTRIBUTION LIMITS RELATED TO
  OUT-OF-STATE CONTRIBUTORS. (a) A candidate or an officeholder may
  not knowingly accept, for an election in which the candidate's or
  officeholder's name appears on the ballot, political contributions
  that:
               (1)  are made by a person with a principal address that
  is located outside this state; and
               (2)  in the aggregate exceed:
                     (A)  $5,000 if the election is for a statewide
  office;
                     (B)  $2,500 if the election is for a district
  office; or
                     (C)  $1,000 if the election is for a county
  office.
         (b)  A candidate or an officeholder who accepts a political
  contribution in violation of Subsection (a) shall return the
  contribution to the contributor not later than the later of:
               (1)  the last day of the reporting period under Chapter
  254 during which the contribution was accepted; or
               (2)  the fifth day after the date the contribution was
  accepted.
         (c)  A political committee may not make a political
  contribution to a candidate or an officeholder for an election in
  which the candidate's or officeholder's name appears on the ballot
  if, during the preceding reporting period under Chapter 254, more
  than 50 percent of the political contributions accepted by the
  committee were made by persons with a principal address that is
  located outside this state.
         (d)  A person who violates this section is liable for a civil
  penalty not to exceed three times the amount of the political
  contributions accepted or made in violation of this section. The
  commission may impose a civil penalty against a person under this
  subsection only after a formal hearing is held as provided by
  Subchapter E, Chapter 571, Government Code.
         (e)  The commission shall adopt rules as necessary to
  implement this section.
         SECTION 2.  Section 253.044, Election Code, as added by this
  Act, applies only to a political contribution made on or after the
  effective date of this Act. A contribution made before the
  effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the
  contribution was made and is not aggregated with contributions made
  on or after that date.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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