AI-assisted research summary: Judicial candidates and officeholders may not knowingly accept campaign contributions above the limits in this section, must return violating contributions on time, and face a civil penalty for violations.
Sec. 253.155. CONTRIBUTION LIMITS. (a) A judicial candidate or officeholder may not knowingly accept political contributions from a person that, in the aggregate, exceed the contribution limits prescribed by Subsection (b) in connection with each election in which the judicial candidate's name appears on the ballot. (b) The contribution limits under this section are: (1) for a statewide judicial office, $5,000; or (2) for any other judicial office: (A) $1,000, if the population of the judicial district is less than 250,000; (B) $2,500, if the population of the judicial district is 250,000 to one million; or (C) $5,000, if the population of the judicial district is more than one million. (c) This section does not apply to a political contribution made by a general-purpose committee. (d) Repealed by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 384 (H.B. 3233), Sec. 17(1), eff. June 2, 2019. (d-1) In addition to the contribution limits imposed on each contributor under this section, a judicial candidate or officeholder may not accept a political contribution in excess of $50 from a person if: (1) the person is part of a law firm group; and (2) the contribution, when aggregated with all political contributions accepted by the candidate or officeholder from the same law firm group in connection with the election, would exceed six times the applicable contribution limit under this section. (e) A person who receives a political contribution that violates this section shall return the contribution to the contributor not later than the later of: (1) the last day of the reporting period in which the contribution is received; or (2) the fifth day after the date the contribution is received. (f) A person who violates this section is liable for a civil penalty not to exceed three times the amount of the political contributions accepted in violation of this section. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 763, Sec. 1, eff. June 16, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 479, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1096, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 384 (H.B. 3233), Sec. 4, eff. June 2, 2019. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 384 (H.B. 3233), Sec. 17(1), eff. June 2, 2019.