SRC-AMY C.S.S.B. 244 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 244
78R7992 ESH-DBy: West/Nelson
State Affairs
3-18-2003
Committee Report (Substituted)

DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current Texas law, statewide officeholders, legislators, and their
campaigns are prohibited from receiving political contributions during the
regular legislative session.  Because this prohibition ends on the last
day of the legislative session, the governor, and other statewide
officeholders; members of the legislature; and committees to support,
oppose, or assist such officials, can receive and solicit contributions
while the governor considers whether to sign or veto legislation from the
session. C.S.S.B. 244 amends the Election Code to prohibit statewide
officeholders, members of the legislature, and committees to support,
oppose, or assist such officials from accepting contributions from the
period 30 day prior to a regular session through the veto period. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 253.034, Election Code, as follows:

 Sec.  253.034.  New heading:  RESTRICTIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS DURING AND 
FOLLOWING REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION.  (a)  Prohibits a person, during a
period beginning 30 days before the convening of a regular legislative
session and continuing through the last day on which the governor may veto
a bill enacted during that session, from knowingly making a political
contribution to a statewide officeholder; a member of the legislature; or
a specific-purpose committee for supporting, opposing, or assisting a
statewide office holder or member of the legislature 

 (b)  No changes to this subsection.

(c)  Provides that the period referred to for accepting a political
contribution is that period prescribed by Subsection (a).  Makes a
conforming change regarding relettering of subsections. Makes
nonsubstantive changes. 

(d)  Redefines the person accepting a political contribution to be the
person on whose behalf the contribution is accepted rather than the person
accepting the contribution.  Redesignated from existing Subsection (c).
Makes nonsubstantive changes. 
 
 (d)-(e) Redesignated from existing Subsections (d)-(e).

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2003.



 


SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Differs from the original bill in the relating clause by referring to
acceptance of political contributions by statewide officeholders and
members of the legislature, rather than by the governor. 

Differs from the original bill in SECTION 1 by removing proposed
Subsections (b) and (d), and consequently removing references to the
proposed Subsection (b).  Differs from the original by redesignating
Subsections (c), (d), and (e) as Subsections (d), (e), (f), rather than
(f), (g), and (h).  

Differs from the original bill in SECTION 1 by expanding the window in
Section 253.034(a), Election Code, during which a person may not knowingly
make a political contribution to certain officials or groups, from the
30th day before the date a regular legislative session convenes through
the last day on which the governor may veto a bill enacted during the
regular session, rather than addressing only the regular session.