By Greenberg                                          H.B. No. 2003
         76R7952 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 10th [30th] day
 1-8     before the date of the general election for state and county
 1-9     officers preceding the date a regular legislative session convenes
1-10     and continuing through the day of final adjournment, a person may
1-11     not 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 10th [30th] day
1-20     before the date of the general election for state and county
1-21     officers preceding the date a regular legislative session convenes
1-22     and 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.