79R4725 ESH-D

By:  Strama                                                       H.B. No. 906



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the making, authorization, and acceptance of political 
contributions in certain state buildings; providing civil and 
criminal penalties.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 253.039, Election Code, is amended by 
amending Subsections (a), (b), and (c) and adding Subsection (e) to 
read as follows:
	(a)  A person may not knowingly make or authorize a political 
contribution while in a state building [the Capitol] to:
		(1)  a candidate or officeholder;                                             
		(2)  a political committee; or                                                
		(3)  a person acting on behalf of a candidate, 
officeholder, or political committee.
	(b)  A candidate, officeholder, or political committee or a 
person acting on behalf of a candidate, officeholder, or political 
committee may not knowingly accept a political contribution, and 
shall refuse a political contribution that is received, in a state 
building [the Capitol].
	(c)  This section does not prohibit contributions made in a 
state building [the Capitol] through the United States postal 
service or a common or contract carrier.
	(e)  In this section, "state building" means any building 
owned or occupied by the state, including a building or office 
leased to the state for state purposes, that is used by a state 
officer or state agency.
	SECTION 2.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies 
only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this 
Act. For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before 
the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs 
before that date.
	(b)  An offense committed before the effective date of this 
Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, 
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.