|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the applicability of the moratoriums on the acceptance |
|
of certain political contributions and caucus contributions to |
|
contributions delivered by common or contract carrier. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Section 253.034(b), Election Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
(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). 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. |
|
A contribution made by United States mail or by common or contract |
|
carrier is not considered received during that period if it was |
|
properly addressed and placed with postage or carrier charges |
|
prepaid or prearranged [and properly addressed] in the [United
|
|
States] mail or delivered to the contract carrier before the |
|
beginning of the period. The date indicated by the post office |
|
cancellation mark or the common or contract carrier documents is |
|
considered to be the date the contribution was placed in the mail or |
|
delivered to the common or contract carrier unless proven |
|
otherwise. |
|
SECTION 2. Section 253.0341(b), Election Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(b) A legislative caucus may not knowingly accept from a |
|
nonmember a contribution, and shall refuse a contribution from a |
|
nonmember that is received, during the period prescribed by |
|
Subsection (a). A 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. A contribution made by United |
|
States mail or by common or contract carrier is not considered |
|
received during that period if it was properly addressed and placed |
|
with postage or carrier charges prepaid or prearranged [and
|
|
properly addressed] in the [United States] mail or delivered to the |
|
contract carrier before the beginning of the period. The date |
|
indicated by the post office cancellation mark or the common or |
|
contract carrier documents is considered to be the date the |
|
contribution was placed in the mail or delivered to the common or |
|
contract carrier unless proven otherwise. |
|
SECTION 3. (a) The change in law made 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 that date |
|
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. |
|
|
|
* * * * * |