74R9908 ESH-D
By Denny, et al. H.B. No. 483
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 483:
By Denny C.S.H.B. No. 483
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the making and reporting of certain political
1-3 contributions and expenditures.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 253.001, Election Code, is amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 253.001. CONTRIBUTION OR <AND> EXPENDITURE IN ANOTHER'S
1-8 NAME PROHIBITED. (a) A person may not knowingly make or authorize
1-9 a political contribution <or political expenditure> in the name of
1-10 or on behalf of another unless the person discloses in writing to
1-11 the recipient the <other's> name and address of the person actually
1-12 making the contribution in order for the recipient to make the
1-13 proper disclosure <to be made>.
1-14 (b) A person may not knowingly make or authorize a political
1-15 expenditure in the name of or on behalf of another unless the
1-16 person discloses in writing to the person on whose behalf the
1-17 expenditure is made the name and address of the person actually
1-18 making the expenditure in order for the person on whose behalf the
1-19 expenditure is made to make the proper disclosure.
1-20 (c) A person who violates this section commits an offense.
1-21 An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
1-22 SECTION 2. Chapter 257, Election Code, is amended by adding
1-23 Section 257.008 to read as follows:
1-24 Sec. 257.008. STATEMENT CONCERNING JUDICIAL CANDIDATES. Not
2-1 later than the 30th day after the date of each general election for
2-2 state and county officers, the state chairman and each county
2-3 chairman of each political party that had nominees on the general
2-4 election ballot shall file with the commission the following sworn
2-5 statement:
2-6 "My name is (name of person making statement). I am the
2-7 (state chairman or county chairman for (name of county)) of the
2-8 (name of political party).
2-9 "Any political contribution made by the (name of political
2-10 party, including county as applicable) to a candidate for or holder
2-11 of a judicial office other than the office of constitutional county
2-12 judge or justice of the peace was made from money that was not
2-13 designated for a particular candidate or officeholder by the person
2-14 making the contribution to the (name of political party, including
2-15 county as applicable)."
2-16 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
2-17 SECTION 4. (a) The change in law made by Section 1 of this
2-18 Act applies only to an offense committed on or after the effective
2-19 date of this Act. For the purposes of this section, an offense is
2-20 committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of
2-21 the offense occurs before the effective date.
2-22 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this
2-23 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed,
2-24 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
2-25 SECTION 5. Section 257.008, Election Code, as added by this
2-26 Act, applies only to a political contribution made on or after the
2-27 effective date of this Act.
3-1 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
3-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.