BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                      S.B. 1152

                                                                                                                        By: Hinojosa, Zaffirini

                                                                                                                                       State Affairs

                                                                                                                                            6/18/2009

                                                                                                                                              Enrolled

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

S.B. 1, 72nd Legislature, Regular Session, 1991, made the act of offering or accepting a political contribution in the Texas Capitol illegal. Under current law, political contributions can be legally offered to sitting judges in Texas courthouses.  The possibility that a sitting judge can accept a contribution in a courthouse reflects poorly on the integrity of the Texas judicial process.

 

S.B. 1152 prohibits a political contribution from being offered or accepted in Texas courthouses. 

 

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 253.039, Election Code, by amending Subsections (a), (b), and (c), and adding Subsection (h), as follows:

 

(a)  Prohibits a person from knowingly making or authorizing a political contribution while in a courthouse to certain persons or entities.

 

(b)  Makes a conforming change.

 

(c)  Makes a conforming change.

 

(h)  Defines "courthouse."

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2009.