By Denny, Hamric                                       H.B. No. 485
       74R3002 KLL-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the characterization of expenses incurred in connection
    1-3  with a meeting of an organization or club affiliated with a
    1-4  political party.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Section 251.008(a), Election Code, is amended to
    1-7  read as follows:
    1-8        (a)  An expense incurred in connection with the conduct of a
    1-9  meeting of an organization or club affiliated with a political
   1-10  party at which a candidate for an office regularly filled at the
   1-11  general election for state and county officers, or a person holding
   1-12  that office, appears before the members of the organization or club
   1-13  is not considered to be a political contribution or political
   1-14  expenditure if<:>
   1-15              <(1)>  no political contributions are made to or
   1-16  solicited for the candidate or officeholder at the meeting<; and>
   1-17              <(2)  the meeting is held at a time other than during
   1-18  the 20 days preceding the date of a primary election, the general
   1-19  election for state and county officers, or a special election in
   1-20  which the candidate is involved>.
   1-21        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   1-22        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-23  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-24  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-1  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-2  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.