84R4421 ATP-F
By: Rodriguez of Travis H.B. No. 2520
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to restrictions on the political activities of a county
clerk who administers elections; creating a criminal offense.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 31, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 31.125 to read as follows:
Sec. 31.125. RESTRICTIONS ON POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF COUNTY
CLERK WHO ADMINISTERS ELECTIONS. (a) This section applies only to
a county clerk of a county for which the position of county
elections administrator has not been created.
(b) A county clerk may not be a candidate for an office of a
political party or hold a position in a political party.
(c) A county clerk may not make a political contribution or
political expenditure, as defined by the law regulating political
funds and campaigns, or publicly support or oppose a candidate for
public office or a measure to be voted on at an election. This
subsection does not apply with respect to the county clerk's own
candidacy for a public office.
(d) A county clerk commits an offense if the clerk violates
this section. An offense under this subsection is a Class A
misdemeanor.
(e) In this section, "candidate" means a person who has
taken affirmative action, as described by the law regulating
political funds and campaigns, for the purpose of gaining
nomination or election.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.