80R7341 ESH-D

By: McCall, Strama, Gonzalez Toureilles, H.B. No. 647

Berman, Bohac, et al.

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the making of political contributions to and acceptance of political contributions by statewide officers and members of the legislature before and during a special session of the legislature; providing a criminal penalty.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 253.034, Election Code, is amended by adding Subsections (a-1), (b-1), and (c-1) and amending Subsections (b) and (c) to read as follows:

(a-1) During the period beginning on the date the governor signs the proclamation calling a special legislative session and continuing through the date of final adjournment, a person may not knowingly make a political contribution to:

(1) a statewide officeholder;

(2) a member of the legislature; or

(3) a specific-purpose committee for supporting, opposing, or assisting a statewide officeholder or member of the legislature.

(b) A statewide officeholder, a member of the legislature, or a specific-purpose committee for supporting, opposing, or assisting a statewide officeholder or member of the legislature may not knowingly accept a political contribution, and shall refuse a political contribution that is received, during the period prescribed by Subsection (a) or (a-1). A political contribution that is received and refused during that period shall be returned to the contributor not later than the 30th day after the date of receipt.

(b-1) A contribution made by mail is not considered received during the [that] period prescribed by Subsection (a) or (a-1) if it was placed with postage prepaid and properly addressed in the United States mail before the beginning of the period. The date indicated by the post office cancellation mark is considered to be the date the contribution was placed in the mail unless proven otherwise.

(c) Subsections (a) and (a-1) do [This section does] not apply to a political contribution that was made and accepted with the intent that it be used:

(1) in an election held or ordered during the period prescribed by Subsection (a) or (a-1) in which the person accepting the contribution is a candidate if the contribution was made after the person appointed a campaign treasurer with the appropriate authority and before the person was sworn in for that office; or

(2) to defray expenses incurred in connection with an election contest.

(c-1) Subsection (a) does not apply to a political contribution that was made and accepted with the intent that it be used[; or

[(3)] by a person who holds a state office or a member of the legislature if the person or member was defeated at the general election held immediately before the session is convened or by a specific-purpose political committee that supports or assists only that person or member.

SECTION 2. The heading to Section 253.034, Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 253.034. RESTRICTIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS BEFORE, DURING, AND FOLLOWING [REGULAR] LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

SECTION 3. Section 571.073, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 571.073. REPORT. On or before December 31 of each even-numbered year, the commission shall report to the governor and legislature. The report must include:

(1) each advisory opinion issued by the commission under Subchapter D in the preceding two years;

(2) a summary of commission activities in the preceding two years, including:

(A) the number of sworn complaints filed with the commission;

(B) the number of sworn complaints dismissed for noncompliance with statutory form requirements;

(C) the number of sworn complaints dismissed for lack of jurisdiction;

(D) the number of sworn complaints dismissed after a finding of no credible evidence of a violation;

(E) the number of sworn complaints dismissed after a finding of a lack of sufficient evidence to determine whether a violation within the jurisdiction of the commission has occurred;

(F) the number of sworn complaints resolved by the commission through an agreed order;

(G) the number of sworn complaints in which the commission issued an order finding a violation and the resulting penalties, if any; and

(H) the number and amount of civil penalties imposed for failure to timely file a statement or report, the number and amount of those civil penalties fully paid, the number and amount of those civil penalties partially paid, and the number and amount of those civil penalties no part of which has been paid, for each of the following category of statements and reports, listed separately:

(i) financial statements required to be filed under Chapter 572;

(ii) political contribution and expenditure reports required to be filed under Section 254.063, 254.093, 254.123, 254.153, or 254.157, Election Code;

(iii) political contribution and expenditure reports required to be filed under Section 254.064(b), 254.124(b), or 254.154(b), Election Code;

(iv) political contribution and expenditure reports required to be filed under Section 254.064(c), 254.124(c), or 254.154(c), Election Code; and

(v) political contribution and expenditure reports required to be filed under Section 254.038 or 254.039, Election Code; and

[(vi) political contribution and expenditure reports required to be filed under Section 254.0391, Election Code; and]

(3) recommendations for any necessary statutory changes.

SECTION 4. Section 254.0391, Election Code, is repealed.

SECTION 5. (a) Section 253.034, Election Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a political contribution made on or after the effective date of this Act. A political contribution made before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the contribution is made, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

(b) The repeal of Section 254.0391, Election Code, by this Act, applies only to the reporting of a political contribution accepted on or after the effective date of this Act. The reporting of a political contribution accepted before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the contribution is accepted, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2007.