Texas Law Would Stop Campaign Donations When Legislature Has No Quorum

House Bill 293, sponsored by Representative Stan Gerdes, aims to create new rules about when Texas lawmakers can accept donations to their campaigns. The bill proposes that legislators and political committees supporting them must stop accepting donations during periods when a house of the legislature does not have a quorum—the minimum number of members needed to do official business.

Under this proposal, if a lawmaker or campaign committee receives a donation when no quorum is present, they must refuse it. Any donation that is received during this period has to be returned to the person who gave it within 30 days. This rule would apply to new donations received on or after the law takes effect.

The bill includes a special rule for donations sent by mail or through shipping companies. If a donation was properly addressed and placed in the mail before the no-quorum period started, it would not count as being received during that period. The post office cancellation mark or shipping company date would be used as proof of when the donation was sent.

The law would take effect 91 days after the legislative session ends. This bill aims to keep campaign donations separate from times when the legislature cannot conduct regular business.