89R3770 MZM-F     By: Middleton S.B. No. 405       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to restrictions on political contributions by   out-of-state contributors; providing a civil penalty.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 253, Election Code, is   amended by adding Section 253.044 to read as follows:          Sec. 253.044.  POLITICAL CONTRIBUTION LIMITS RELATED TO   OUT-OF-STATE CONTRIBUTORS. (a) A candidate or an officeholder may   not knowingly accept, for an election in which the candidate's or   officeholder's name appears on the ballot, political contributions   that:                (1)  are made by a person with a principal address that   is located outside this state; and                (2)  in the aggregate exceed:                      (A)  $5,000 if the election is for a statewide   office;                      (B)  $2,500 if the election is for a district   office; or                      (C)  $1,000 if the election is for a county   office.          (b)  A candidate or an officeholder who accepts a political   contribution in violation of Subsection (a) shall return the   contribution to the contributor not later than the later of:                (1)  the last day of the reporting period under Chapter   254 during which the contribution was accepted; or                (2)  the fifth day after the date the contribution was   accepted.          (c)  A political committee may not make a political   contribution to a candidate or an officeholder for an election in   which the candidate's or officeholder's name appears on the ballot   if, during the preceding reporting period under Chapter 254, more   than 50 percent of the political contributions accepted by the   committee were made by persons with a principal address that is   located outside this state.          (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 or made in violation of this section. The   commission may impose a civil penalty against a person under this   subsection only after a formal hearing is held as provided by   Subchapter E, Chapter 571, Government Code.          (e)  The commission shall adopt rules as necessary to   implement this section.          SECTION 2.  Section 253.044, Election Code, as added by this   Act, applies only to a political contribution made on or after the   effective date of this Act. A contribution made before the   effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the   date the contribution was made and is not aggregated with   contributions made on or after that date.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.