By Bosse                                               H.B. No. 776
         76R3889 PAM-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to limiting political contributions for certain offices;
 1-3     providing a criminal penalty.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 253, Election Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 253.043 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 253.043.  LIMITATIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS IN CONNECTION
 1-8     WITH STATEWIDE OR DISTRICT OFFICE.  (a)  Except as provided by
 1-9     Subsection (b), a person may not knowingly make or authorize
1-10     political contributions to a candidate for or holder of an office
1-11     covered by this section, or to a specific-purpose committee for
1-12     supporting or opposing the candidate or assisting the officeholder,
1-13     that in the aggregate exceed the following amounts in a calendar
1-14     year:
1-15                 (1)  for a district office, $2,500; and
1-16                 (2)  for a statewide office, $10,000.
1-17           (b)  During a year in which an office covered by this section
1-18     is on the ballot, a person may not knowingly make or authorize
1-19     political contributions to a candidate for the office, or to a
1-20     specific-purpose committee for supporting, opposing, or assisting
1-21     that person, that in the aggregate exceed the following amounts for
1-22     each election in which the candidate is involved:
1-23                 (1)  for a district office, $2,500; and
1-24                 (2)  for a statewide office, $10,000.
 2-1           (c)  A person may not knowingly accept political
 2-2     contributions in violation of Subsection (a) or (b).
 2-3           (d)  A person who violates this section commits an offense.
 2-4     An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
 2-5           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2000.
 2-6           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.