Bill Text: TX HB2677 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Engrossed

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to certain restrictions on contributions and expenditures from political funds by a lobbyist.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 14-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-10 - Effective on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 27, 2019 [HB2677 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-HB2677-Engrossed.html
 
 
  By: Goldman, Button, et al. H.B. No. 2677
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
 
  relating to certain restrictions on contributions and expenditures
  from political funds by a lobbyist.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 253, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 253.006 and 253.007 to read as follows:
         Sec. 253.006.  CERTAIN CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES BY
  LOBBYISTS RESTRICTED. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
  a person required to register under Chapter 305, Government Code,
  may not knowingly make or authorize a political contribution or
  political expenditure that is a political contribution to another
  candidate, officeholder, or political committee, or direct
  campaign expenditure, from political contributions accepted by:
               (1)  the person as a candidate or officeholder;
               (2)  a specific-purpose committee for the purpose of
  supporting the person as a candidate or assisting the person as an
  officeholder; or
               (3)  a political committee that accepted a political
  contribution from a source described by Subdivision (1) or (2)
  during the two-year period immediately before the date the
  political contribution or expenditure was made.
         Sec. 253.007.  PROHIBITION ON LOBBYING BY PERSON MAKING OR
  AUTHORIZING CERTAIN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND DIRECT CAMPAIGN
  EXPENDITURES. (a) In this section, "administrative action,"
  "communicates directly with," "legislation," "member of the
  executive branch," and "member of the legislative branch" have the
  meanings assigned by Section 305.002, Government Code.
         (b)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law and except as
  provided by Subsection (c), a person who knowingly makes or
  authorizes a political contribution or political expenditure that
  is a political contribution to another candidate, officeholder, or
  political committee, or direct campaign expenditure, from
  political contributions accepted by the person as a candidate or
  officeholder may not engage in any activities that require the
  person to register under Chapter 305, Government Code, during the
  two-year period after the date the person makes or authorizes the
  political contribution or direct campaign expenditure.
         (c)  Subsection (b) does not apply to a person who:
               (1)  communicates directly with a member of the
  legislative or executive branch only to influence legislation or
  administrative action on behalf of:
                     (A)  a nonprofit organization exempt from federal
  income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code of
  1986, as an organization described by Section 501(c)(3) of that
  code;
                     (B)  a group of low-income individuals; or
                     (C)  a group of individuals with disabilities;
  and
               (2)  does not receive compensation other than
  reimbursement for actual expenses for engaging in communication
  described by Subdivision (1).
         SECTION 2.  Sections 305.029(a) and (b), Government Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  In this section, "candidate," "political contribution,"
  "political committee," [and] "political expenditure," and
  "specific-purpose committee" have the meanings assigned by Section
  251.001, Election Code.
         (b)  A registrant, or a person on the registrant's behalf and
  with the registrant's consent or ratification, [Notwithstanding
  any other provision of law, a person required to register under this
  chapter] may not [, at any time following the date the last term for
  which the person was elected ends,] knowingly make or authorize [,
  from political contributions accepted by the person as a candidate
  or officeholder, a political] an expenditure required to be
  reported under this chapter from [that is] a political contribution
  that was accepted by:
               (1)  the registrant as a [to another] candidate or [,]
  officeholder;
               (2)  a specific-purpose committee for the purpose of
  supporting the registrant as a candidate or assisting the
  registrant as an officeholder;[,] or
               (3)  a political committee that accepted a political
  contribution described by Subdivision (1) or (2) during the
  two-year period immediately before the date the expenditure was
  made or authorized by the registrant.
         SECTION 3.  Sections 253.006 and 253.007, Election Code, as
  added by this Act, and Section 305.029, Government Code, as amended
  by this Act, apply to a political contribution, political
  expenditure, direct campaign expenditure, or lobbying expenditure
  made on or after September 27, 2019, from funds accepted as a
  political contribution, regardless of the date the funds were
  accepted.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 27, 2019.
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