85R671 EES-D
By: Howard H.B. No. 371
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to certain restrictions on contributions and expenditures
from political funds by a lobbyist; creating a criminal offense.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 253, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 253.006 to read as follows:
Sec. 253.006. CERTAIN CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES BY
LOBBYISTS RESTRICTED. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, a person required to register under Chapter 305, Government
Code, may not, before the second anniversary of the date the last
term for which the person was elected ends, knowingly make or
authorize a political contribution or political expenditure from
political contributions accepted by the person as a candidate or
officeholder.
(b) A person who violates this section commits an offense.
An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 305, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 305.029 to read as follows:
Sec. 305.029. EXPENDITURES FROM POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS
RESTRICTED. (a) In this section, "political contribution" has the
meaning assigned by Section 251.001, Election Code.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person
required to register under this chapter may not, before the second
anniversary of the date the last term for which the person was
elected ends, knowingly make or authorize an expenditure under this
chapter from political contributions accepted by the person as a
candidate or officeholder.
SECTION 3. Section 253.006, Election Code, as added by this
Act, and Section 305.029, Government Code, as added by this Act,
apply to a political contribution, political expenditure, or
lobbying expenditure made on or after January 6, 2019, from funds
accepted as a political contribution, regardless of the date the
funds were accepted.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.