1. (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. (1) beginning on:

      1. (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
      2. (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. (2) ending on the 120th day after the date of:

      1. (A) the general election for state and county officers, if the candidate or officeholder has an opponent in the general election;
      2. (B) except as provided by Subsection (c), the runoff primary election, if the candidate or officeholder is a candidate in the runoff primary election and does not have an opponent in the general election; or
      3. (C) except as provided by Subsection (c), the general primary election, if the candidate or officeholder is not a candidate in the runoff primary election and does not have an opponent in the general election.
2. (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 contest.
3. (c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(2), a judicial candidate who does not have an opponent whose name will appear on the ballot or a specific-purpose committee for supporting such a candidate may accept a political contribution after another person files a declaration of write-in candidacy opposing the candidate.
4. (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.