By Capelo                                             H.B. No. 1180
         77R2047 DRH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to disclosure of a contact between an officer of a
 1-3     political party and a judge regarding a proceeding pending before
 1-4     the 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 OFFICER
 1-9     OF POLITICAL PARTY AND JUDGE. (a)  This section applies only to the
1-10     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)  An officer of a political party shall disclose each
1-15     contact the officer has with a judge of this state 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)  A person commits an offense if the person fails to make
1-24     a disclosure as required by this section.  An offense under this
 2-1     section is a Class A misdemeanor.
 2-2           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.