H.B. No. 1720
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the use of public funds by a political subdivision for
  political advertising or communications that contain false
  information relating to a ballot measure; providing a criminal
  penalty.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 255.003, Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 255.003.  UNLAWFUL USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR POLITICAL
  ADVERTISING.  (a)  An officer or employee of a political
  subdivision may not knowingly spend or authorize the spending of
  public funds for political advertising.
         (b)  Subsection (a) [This section] does not apply to a
  communication that factually describes the purposes of a measure if
  the communication does not advocate passage or defeat of the
  measure.
         (b-1)  An officer or employee of a political subdivision may
  not spend or authorize the spending of public funds for a
  communication describing a measure if the communication contains
  information that:
               (1)  the officer or employee knows is false; and
               (2)  is sufficiently substantial and important as to be
  reasonably likely to influence a voter to vote for or against the
  measure.
         (c)  A person who violates Subsection (a) or (b-1) [this
  section] commits an offense. An offense under this section is a
  Class A misdemeanor.
         (d)  It is an affirmative defense to prosecution for an
  offense under this section or the imposition of a civil penalty for
  conduct under this section that an officer or employee of a
  political subdivision reasonably relied on a court order or an
  interpretation of this section in a written opinion issued by:
               (1)  a court of record;
               (2)  the attorney general; or
               (3)  the commission.
         (e)  On written request of the governing body of a political
  subdivision that has ordered an election on a measure, the
  commission shall prepare an advance written advisory opinion as to
  whether a particular communication relating to the measure does or
  does not comply with this section.
         (f)  Subsections (d) and (e) do not apply to a port authority
  or navigation district.
         SECTION 2.  (a)  Section 255.003(b-1), Election Code, as
  added by this Act, applies only to an expenditure of public funds
  that is made on or after September 1, 2009. An expenditure of public
  funds that is made before September 1, 2009, is governed by the law
  in effect on the date the expenditure is made, and the former law is
  continued in effect for that purpose.
         (b)  Section 255.003(d), Election Code, as added by this Act,
  applies to the prosecution of conduct committed before, on, or
  after September 1, 2009, as to which:
               (1)  judgment has not been entered or a sentence has not
  been imposed; or
               (2)  if judgment has been entered and a sentence
  imposed, an appeal is pending or the time for appeal has not
  expired.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1720 was passed by the House on May
  15, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 144, Nays 0, 1 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 1720 on May 29, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 143, Nays 0,
  1 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1720 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 25, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor