H.B. No. 3066
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the use of political contributions to make payments in
  connection with the rental or purchase of certain real property;
  providing a criminal penalty.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 253.038, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
         (a-1)  A candidate or officeholder or a specific-purpose
  committee for supporting, opposing, or assisting the candidate or
  officeholder may not knowingly make or authorize a payment from a
  political contribution for the rental or purchase of real property
  from:
               (1)  a person related within the second degree by
  consanguinity or affinity, as determined under Chapter 573,
  Government Code, to the candidate or officeholder; or
               (2)  a business in which the candidate or officeholder
  or a person described by Subdivision (1) has a participating
  interest of more than 10 percent, holds a position on the governing
  body, or serves as an officer.
         SECTION 2.  The heading to Section 253.038, Election Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 253.038.  PAYMENTS MADE TO PURCHASE REAL PROPERTY OR TO
  RENT CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY PROHIBITED.
         SECTION 3.  Section 253.038(a-1), Election Code, as added by
  this Act, applies to a payment made from political contributions on
  or after September 1, 2007, without regard to whether the payment
  was made under a lease or other agreement entered into before that
  date.  A payment made from political contributions before September
  1, 2007, is governed by the law in effect on the date the payment was
  made, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3066 was passed by the House on May 4,
  2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to
  H.B. No. 3066 on May 24, 2007, and requested the appointment of a
  conference committee to consider the differences between the two
  houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report
  on H.B. No. 3066 on May 27, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 142,
  Nays 0, 2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3066 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 22, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference
  committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and
  that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.
  3066 on May 26, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor