85S12252 MK-D
By: Moody H.J.R. No. 54
A JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment prohibiting the governor or a
specific-purpose committee for supporting or assisting the
governor from accepting political contributions during a special
legislative session.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article IV, Texas Constitution, is amended by
adding Section 8a to read as follows:
Sec. 8a. (a) During the period beginning on the date a
special legislative session called by the governor under Section
40, Article III, of this constitution convenes and continuing
through the date of final adjournment of the special legislative
session, the governor or a specific-purpose committee for
supporting or assisting the governor may not knowingly accept a
political contribution and shall refuse a political contribution
that is received during that period.
(b) A political contribution that is received and refused
during the period described by Subsection (a) of this section shall
be returned to the contributor not later than the 30th day after the
date of receipt. A contribution made by United States mail or by
common or contract carrier is not considered received during that
period if it was properly addressed and placed with postage or
carrier charges prepaid or prearranged in the mail or delivered to
the contract carrier before the beginning of the period. The date
indicated by the post office cancellation mark or the common or
contract carrier documents is considered to be the date the
contribution was placed in the mail or delivered to the common or
contract carrier unless proven otherwise.
(c) This section does not apply to a political contribution
that was made and accepted with the intent that it be used:
(1) in an election held or ordered during the period
prescribed by Subsection (a) of this section in which the person
accepting the contribution is a candidate if the contribution was
made after the person appointed a campaign treasurer with the
appropriate authority and before the person was sworn in for that
office;
(2) to defray expenses incurred in connection with an
election contest; or
(3) by the governor if the governor was defeated at the
general election held immediately before the session is convened or
by a specific-purpose committee that only supports or assists the
governor.
(d) In this section, "political contribution" and
"specific-purpose committee" have the meanings assigned by Section
251.001, Election Code, or a successor statute.
SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 2017.
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
proposition: "The constitutional amendment prohibiting the
governor or a specific-purpose committee for supporting or
assisting the governor from accepting political contributions
during a special legislative session."