Certain judicial candidates, officeholders, and related committees may not knowingly accept political contributions except during the statute’s election-period window.
Sec. 253.153. CONTRIBUTION PROHIBITED EXCEPT DURING ELECTION PERIOD. (a) A judicial candidate or officeholder, a specific-purpose committee for supporting or opposing a judicial candidate, or a specific-purpose committee for assisting a judicial officeholder may not knowingly accept a political contribution except during the period: (1) beginning on: (A) the 210th day before the date an application for a place on the ballot or for nomination by convention for the office is required to be filed, if the election is for a full term; or (B) the later of the 210th day before the date an application for a place on the ballot or for nomination by convention for the office is required to be filed or the date a vacancy in the office occurs, if the election is for an unexpired term; and (2) ending on the 120th day after the date of the election in which the candidate or officeholder last appeared on the ballot, regardless of whether the candidate or officeholder has an opponent in that election. (b) Subsection (a)(2) does not apply to a political contribution that was made and accepted with the intent that it be used to defray expenses incurred in connection with an election, including the repayment of any debt that is: (1) incurred directly by the making of a campaign expenditure during the period beginning on the date the application for a place on the ballot or for nomination by convention was required to be filed for the election in which the candidate last appeared on the ballot and ending on the date of that election; and (2) subject to the restrictions prescribed by Sections 253.162 and 253.1621. (c) Repealed by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1329, Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009. (d) 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. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1329 (H.B. 4060), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1329 (H.B. 4060), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009.