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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain restrictions on contributions and expenditures |
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from political funds by a lobbyist; creating a criminal offense. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 253, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 253.006 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 253.006. CERTAIN CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES BY |
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LOBBYISTS RESTRICTED. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of |
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law, a person required to register under Chapter 305, Government |
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Code, may not, before the second anniversary of the date the last |
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term for which the person was elected ends, knowingly make or |
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authorize a political contribution or political expenditure from |
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political contributions accepted by the person as a candidate or |
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officeholder. |
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(b) A person who violates this section commits an offense. |
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An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 305, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 305.029 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 305.029. EXPENDITURES FROM POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS |
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RESTRICTED. (a) In this section, "political contribution" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 251.001, Election Code. |
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(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person |
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required to register under this chapter may not, before the second |
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anniversary of the date the last term for which the person was |
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elected ends, knowingly make or authorize an expenditure under this |
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chapter from political contributions accepted by the person as a |
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candidate or officeholder. |
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SECTION 3. Section 253.006, Election Code, as added by this |
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Act, and Section 305.029, Government Code, as added by this Act, |
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apply to a political contribution, political expenditure, or |
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lobbying expenditure made on or after January 6, 2019, from funds |
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accepted as a political contribution, regardless of the date the |
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funds were accepted. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |