By: King of Parker, et al. H.B. No. 2283

(Senate Sponsor - Creighton)

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2021; May 10, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; May 20, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 2; May 20, 2021, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2283 By: Hughes

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the prohibition of certain contributions and donations for the administration of elections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 31, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 31.126 to read as follows:

Sec. 31.126. PROHIBITED CONTRIBUTIONS. (a) Without the written consent of the secretary of state, the joint elections commission, county election commission, and county election board may not:

(1) accept a contribution of $1,000 or more, including the value of in-kind donations, offered by:

(A) a private individual;

(B) a business entity, including a:

(i) corporation;

(ii) partnership; or

(iii) trust; or

(C) another third party; or

(2) use a contribution described by Subdivision (1) to perform a function of administering elections.

(b) The secretary of state may grant consent under Subsection (a) only if:

(1) the secretary consults with the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives on the proposed donation; and

(2) the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives unanimously agree to the secretary's grant of consent.

(c) The joint elections commission, county election commission, and county election board may accept a contribution of less than $1,000 only with written consent from the relevant political subdivision.

(d) This section does not prohibit the acceptance of:

(1) an in-kind contribution of food or beverage for election workers during the administration of an election;

(2) any state or federal funds administered or distributed by the secretary of state, including funds administered and distributed under Section 31.009, or other state or federal funds made available to political subdivisions to perform a function related to elections; or

(3) an offer for use, without charge or for a reduced fee, of a public or private building or a portion of a building for the purposes of conducting an election, including for use as a polling place designated under Chapter 43.

SECTION 2. Section 81.032, Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 81.032. ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS. (a) The commissioners court may accept a donation of labor or services, gift, grant, donation, bequest, or devise of money or other property on behalf of the county, including a donation under Chapter 38, Government Code, for the purpose of performing a function conferred by law on the county or a county officer.

(b) The commissioners court may not accept a donation described in Subsection (a) of over $1,000 for use in administering elections without the written consent of the secretary of state.

(c) The secretary of state may grant consent under Subsection (b) only if:

(1) the secretary consults with the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives on the proposed donation; and

(2) the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives unanimously agree to the secretary's grant of consent.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021.

* * * * *