Bill Text: TX HB268 | 2017 | 85th Legislature 1st Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the making and acceptance of political contributions during a special legislative session; creating a criminal offense.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-07-24 - Referred to General Investigating & Ethics [HB268 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB268-Introduced.html
85S11000 MK-D | ||
By: Fallon | H.B. No. 268 |
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relating to the making and acceptance of political contributions | ||
during a special legislative session; creating a criminal offense. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 253.034, Election Code, | ||
is amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 253.034. RESTRICTIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS DURING AND | ||
FOLLOWING [ |
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SECTION 2. Section 253.034, Election Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (b) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(a-1) During the period beginning on the date a special | ||
legislative session convenes and continuing through the date of | ||
final adjournment of the special legislative session, a person may | ||
not knowingly make a political contribution to a member of the | ||
legislature. | ||
(b) A statewide officeholder, a member of the legislature, | ||
or a specific-purpose committee for supporting, opposing, or | ||
assisting a statewide officeholder or member of the legislature may | ||
not knowingly accept a political contribution, and shall refuse a | ||
political contribution that is received, during an applicable [ |
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period prescribed by Subsection (a) or (a-1). A political | ||
contribution that is received and refused during that period shall | ||
be returned to the contributor not later than the 30th day after the | ||
date of receipt. A contribution made by United States mail or by | ||
common or contract carrier is not considered received during that | ||
period if it was properly addressed and placed with postage or | ||
carrier charges prepaid or prearranged in the mail or delivered to | ||
the contract carrier before the beginning of the period. The date | ||
indicated by the post office cancellation mark or the common or | ||
contract carrier documents is considered to be the date the | ||
contribution was placed in the mail or delivered to the common or | ||
contract carrier unless proven otherwise. | ||
SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to | ||
a political contribution made on or after the effective date of this | ||
Act. A political contribution made before the effective date of | ||
this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the | ||
contribution was made, and the former law is continued in effect for | ||
that purpose. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect December 1, 2017. |