By Denny                                               H.B. No. 483
       74R725 ESH-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the reporting of political contributions from political
    1-3  parties to candidates for certain judicial offices.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 257, Election Code, is amended by adding
    1-6  Section 257.008 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 257.008.  STATEMENT CONCERNING JUDICIAL CANDIDATES.  Not
    1-8  later than the 30th day after the date of each general election for
    1-9  state and county officers, the state chairman and each county
   1-10  chairman of each political party that had nominees on the general
   1-11  election ballot shall file with the commission the following sworn
   1-12  statement:
   1-13        "My name is (name of person making statement).  I am the
   1-14  (state chairman or county chairman for (name of county)) of the
   1-15  (name of political party).
   1-16        "Any political contribution made by the (name of political
   1-17  party, including county as applicable) to a candidate for or holder
   1-18  of a judicial office other than the office of constitutional county
   1-19  judge or justice of the peace was made from money that was not
   1-20  designated for a particular candidate or officeholder by the person
   1-21  making the contribution to the (name of political party, including
   1-22  county as applicable)."
   1-23        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   1-24        SECTION 3.  Section 257.008, Election Code, as added by this
    2-1  Act, applies only to a political contribution made on or after the
    2-2  effective date of this Act.
    2-3        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-4  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-5  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-6  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-7  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.