Sec. 253.1611. CERTAIN CONTRIBUTIONS BY JUDICIAL CANDIDATES, OFFICEHOLDERS, AND COMMITTEES RESTRICTED. (a) A judicial candidate or officeholder or a specific-purpose committee for supporting or opposing a judicial candidate or assisting a judicial officeholder may not use a political contribution to knowingly make political contributions that in the aggregate exceed $100 in a calendar year to a candidate or officeholder.
(b) A judicial candidate or a specific-purpose committee for supporting or opposing a judicial candidate may not use a political contribution to knowingly make political contributions to a political committee in connection with a primary election.
(c) A judicial candidate or a specific-purpose committee for supporting or opposing a judicial candidate may not use a political contribution to knowingly make a political contribution to a political committee that, when aggregated with each other political contribution to a political committee in connection with a general election, exceeds $500.
(d) A judicial officeholder or a specific-purpose committee for assisting a judicial officeholder may not, in any calendar year in which the office held is not on the ballot, use a political contribution to knowingly make a political contribution to a political committee that, when aggregated with each other political contribution to a political committee in that calendar year, exceeds $250.
(e) This section does not apply to a political contribution made to the principal political committee of the state executive committee or a county executive committee of a political party that:
(1) is made in return for goods or services, including political advertising or a campaign communication, the value of which substantially equals or exceeds the amount of the contribution; or
(2) is in an amount that is not more than the candidate's or officeholder's pro rata share of the committee's normal overhead and administrative or operating costs.
(f) For purposes of Subsection (e)(2), a candidate's or officeholder's pro rata share of a political committee's normal overhead and administrative or operating costs is computed by dividing the committee's estimated total expenses for a period by the number of candidates and officeholders to whom the committee reasonably expects to provide goods or services during that period.
(g) A person who violates this section is liable for a civil penalty not to exceed three times the amount of political contributions used in violation of this section.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 479, Sec. 7, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 937, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
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