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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the period during which a judicial candidate or |
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officeholder may accept political contributions. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 253.153(a) and (b), Election Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A judicial candidate or officeholder, a |
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specific-purpose committee for supporting or opposing a judicial |
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candidate, or a specific-purpose committee for assisting a judicial |
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officeholder may not knowingly accept a political contribution |
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except during the period: |
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(1) beginning on: |
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(A) the 210th day before the date an application |
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for a place on the ballot or for nomination by convention for the |
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office is required to be filed, if the election is for a full term; |
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or |
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(B) the later of the 210th day before the date an |
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application for a place on the ballot or for nomination by |
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convention for the office is required to be filed or the date a |
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vacancy in the office occurs, if the election is for an unexpired |
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term; and |
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(2) ending on the 120th day after the date of[:
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[(A)] the [general] election in which the |
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candidate or officeholder last appeared on the ballot, regardless |
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of whether the candidate or officeholder has an opponent in that |
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election [for state and county officers, if the candidate or
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officeholder has an opponent in the general election;
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[(B)
except as provided by Subsection (c), the
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runoff primary election, if the candidate or officeholder is a
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candidate in the runoff primary election and does not have an
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opponent in the general election; or
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[(C)
except as provided by Subsection (c), the
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general primary election, if the candidate or officeholder is not a
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candidate in the runoff primary election and does not have an
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opponent in the general election]. |
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(b) Subsection (a)(2) does not apply to a political |
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contribution that was made and accepted with the intent that it be |
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used to defray expenses incurred in connection with an election, |
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including the repayment of any debt that is: |
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(1) incurred directly by the making of a campaign |
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expenditure during the period beginning on the date the application |
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for a place on the ballot or for nomination by convention was |
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required to be filed for the election in which the candidate last |
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appeared on the ballot and ending on the date of that election; |
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(2) subject to the restrictions prescribed by Sections |
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253.162 and 253.1621; and |
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(3) not incurred in connection with the defense of any |
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ethics matter [contest]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 253.153(c), Election Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 3. Section 253.153, Election Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies only to a political contribution accepted on or |
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after September 1, 2009. A political contribution accepted before |
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September 1, 2009, is governed by the law in effect at the time the |
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contribution was accepted. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |