|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to the making or acceptance of political contributions in |
|
a building owned by or leased to the state. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Section 253.039, Election Code, is amended by |
|
amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections (e), (f), |
|
and (g) 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]. |
|
(e) If the commission determines that a person registered |
|
under Chapter 305, Government Code, has made or attempted to make a |
|
political contribution in a state building, the commission shall |
|
enter an order suspending the person's registration under Section |
|
305.005 for 180 days. |
|
(f) If the commission determines that a general-purpose |
|
committee has made or attempted to make a political contribution in |
|
a state building, the commission shall enter an order suspending |
|
the committee's campaign treasurer appointment for 180 days. |
|
(g) 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. The prohibition only applies to the |
|
portion of the building used for state business. |
|
SECTION 2. Section 253.039(c), Election Code, is repealed. |
|
SECTION 3. (a) Section 253.039, Election Code, as amended |
|
by this Act, applies only to an offense committed on or after |
|
September 1, 2009. 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 September 1, 2009, is |
|
covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and the |
|
former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |