By Averitt, Greenberg                                 H.B. No. 1893
         76R6308 PAM-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to limiting the period for making or accepting certain
 1-3     contributions before a regular legislative session.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 253.034(a), Election Code, is amended to
 1-6     read as follows:
 1-7           (a)  During the period beginning on the day after the date of
 1-8     the general election for state and county officers preceding [30th
 1-9     day before] the date a regular legislative session convenes and
1-10     continuing through the day of final adjournment, a person may not
1-11     knowingly make a political contribution to:
1-12                 (1)  a statewide officeholder;
1-13                 (2)  a member of the legislature; or
1-14                 (3)  a specific-purpose committee for supporting,
1-15     opposing, or assisting a statewide officeholder or member of the
1-16     legislature.
1-17           SECTION 2.  Section 253.0341(a), Election Code, is amended to
1-18     read as follows:
1-19           (a)  During the period beginning on the day after the date of
1-20     the general election for state and county officers preceding [30th
1-21     day before] the date a regular legislative session convenes and
1-22     continuing through the day of final adjournment, a person not a
1-23     member of the caucus may not knowingly make a contribution to a
1-24     legislative caucus.
 2-1           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-2           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-3     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-4     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-5     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-6     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.