By Capelo                                             H.B. No. 1180
         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1180:
         By Denny                                          C.S.H.B. No. 1180
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to disclosure of a contact between a judge and an officer
 1-3     of a political party regarding a proceeding pending before the
 1-4     judge; providing a criminal penalty.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1. Chapter 161, Election Code, is amended by adding
 1-7     Section 161.011 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 161.011.  DISCLOSURE OF CERTAIN CONTACTS BETWEEN JUDGE
 1-9     AND OFFICER OF POLITICAL PARTY. (a)  This section applies only to
1-10     the following officers of a political party:
1-11                 (1)  a member of the state executive committee;
1-12                 (2)  a county chair; and
1-13                 (3)  a precinct chair.
1-14           (b)  A judge of this state shall disclose each contact the
1-15     judge has with an officer of a political party in regard to a
1-16     judicial proceeding pending before that judge that occurs outside
1-17     of an official proceeding conducted by the judge.
1-18           (c)  A disclosure under Subsection (b) must:
1-19                 (1)  describe the nature and content of the contact;
1-20                 (2)  be sent to each party to the proceeding; and
1-21                 (3)  be filed and available for public inspection in
1-22     the records of the proceeding.
1-23           (d)  At the same time the judge provides a disclosure under
1-24     Subsection (b), the judge shall issue a written notice to the
 2-1     political party officer who has a contact with the judge under
 2-2     Subsection (b) informing the officer that the officer's contact is
 2-3     improper and may constitute an offense under Chapter 36, Penal
 2-4     Code.
 2-5           (e)  A political party officer who makes a subsequent contact
 2-6     with the judge on the same matter after receiving notice under
 2-7     Subsection (d) commits an offense.  An offense under this
 2-8     Subsection is a Class A misdemeanor.
 2-9           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.