By Greenberg                                          H.B. No. 2003

         76R7952 PAM-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to limiting the period for making or accepting certain

 1-3     contributions before a regular legislative session.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 253.034(a), Election Code, is amended to

 1-6     read as follows:

 1-7           (a)  During the period beginning on the 10th [30th] day

 1-8     before the date of the general election for state and county

 1-9     officers preceding the date a regular legislative session convenes

1-10     and continuing through the day of final adjournment, a person may

1-11     not knowingly make a political contribution to:

1-12                 (1)  a statewide officeholder;

1-13                 (2)  a member of the legislature; or

1-14                 (3)  a specific-purpose committee for supporting,

1-15     opposing, or assisting a statewide officeholder or member of the

1-16     legislature.

1-17           SECTION 2.  Section 253.0341(a), Election Code, is amended to

1-18     read as follows:

1-19           (a)  During the period beginning on the 10th [30th] day

1-20     before the date of the general election for state and county

1-21     officers preceding the date a regular legislative session convenes

1-22     and continuing through the day of final adjournment, a person not a

1-23     member of the caucus may not knowingly make a contribution to a

1-24     legislative caucus.

 2-1           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.

 2-2           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-3     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-4     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-5     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-6     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.