By: Zwiener H.B. No. 47

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to campaign contribution limits for certain offices.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 253, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 253.008 to read as follows:

Sec. 253.008. LIMITATION ON CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS. (a) A person may not knowingly make or authorize the making of a campaign contribution to a candidate for statewide office or the legislature, or to a specific-purpose committee supporting the candidate or opposing the candidate's opponent, in an amount that exceeds $5,000 for the election in which the candidate is involved.

(b) A political committee may not knowingly make or authorize the making of a campaign contribution to a candidate for statewide office or the legislature, or to a specific-purpose committee supporting the candidate or opposing the candidate's opponent, in an amount that exceeds $10,000 for the election in which the candidate is involved.

SECTION 2. Section 253.157(a-1), Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a-1) A judicial candidate or officeholder may not knowingly accept political contributions from a general-purpose committee that, in the aggregate, exceed the contribution limits prescribed by this subsection in connection with an election in which the judicial candidate's name appears on the ballot. The contribution limits under this subsection are:

(1) for a statewide judicial office, $10,000 [$25,000]; or

(2) for any other judicial office, $5,000.

SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to a campaign contribution made on or after the effective date of this Act. A campaign 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 campaign contributions made on or after that date.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the legislative session.