By Danburg H.B. No. 2359
77R7120 PAM-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to permitting political contributions and expenditures
1-3 generated from certain funds of certain labor organizations.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 253.101, Election Code, is amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 253.101. UNLAWFUL CONTRIBUTION OR EXPENDITURE BY
1-8 COMMITTEE. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a [A]
1-9 political committee assisted by a corporation or labor organization
1-10 under Section 253.100 may not make a political contribution or
1-11 political expenditure in whole or part from money that is known by
1-12 a member or officer of the political committee to be dues, fees, or
1-13 other money required as a condition of employment or condition of
1-14 membership in a labor organization.
1-15 (b) A political committee assisted by a law enforcement
1-16 employee organization may make a political contribution or
1-17 political expenditure in whole or part from dues, fees, or other
1-18 money required as a condition of employment or condition of
1-19 membership in the organization if a majority of the members of the
1-20 organization vote by secret ballot to have a specified percentage
1-21 or amount of the dues, fees, or other money contributed to the
1-22 political committee.
1-23 (c) In this section, "law enforcement employee organization"
1-24 means a labor organization that is:
2-1 (1) exempt from federal income tax under Section
2-2 501(c)(4) or (5), Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
2-3 (2) composed of members who are licensed by the
2-4 Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education under
2-5 Chapter 1701, Occupations Code.
2-6 (d) A person who violates this section commits an offense.
2-7 An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree.
2-8 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
2-9 (b) The change in law made by this Act applies only to a
2-10 political contribution or political expenditure made on or after
2-11 the effective date of this Act. A political contribution or
2-12 political expenditure made before the effective date of this Act is
2-13 governed by the law in effect at the time the political
2-14 contribution or political expenditure was made, and the former law
2-15 is continued in effect for that purpose.