Tex. Codes » Election Code · TITLE 15. REGULATING POLITICAL FUNDS AND CAMPAIGNS · CHAPTER 253. RESTRICTIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES
Texas Codes

Tex. Elec. Code § 253.031 (2026)

Contribution And Expenditure Without Campaign Treasurer Prohibited

✓ current as of May 2026
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Sec. 253.031. CONTRIBUTION AND EXPENDITURE WITHOUT CAMPAIGN TREASURER PROHIBITED. (a) A candidate may not knowingly accept a campaign contribution or make or authorize a campaign expenditure at a time when a campaign treasurer appointment for the candidate is not in effect.

(b) A political committee may not knowingly accept political contributions totaling more than $500 or make or authorize political expenditures totaling more than $500 at a time when a campaign treasurer appointment for the committee is not in effect.

(c) A political committee may not knowingly make or authorize a campaign contribution or campaign expenditure supporting or opposing a candidate for an office specified by Section 252.005(1) in a primary or general election unless the committee's campaign treasurer appointment has been filed not later than the 30th day before the appropriate election day.

(d) This section does not apply to a political party's county executive committee that accepts political contributions or makes political expenditures, except that:

(1) a county executive committee that accepts political contributions or makes political expenditures shall maintain the records required by Section 254.001; and

(2) a county executive committee that accepts political contributions or makes political expenditures that, in the aggregate, exceed $25,000 in a calendar year shall file:

(A) a campaign treasurer appointment as required by Section 252.001 not later than the 15th day after the date that amount is exceeded; and

(B) the reports required by Subchapter F, Chapter 254, including in the political committee's first report all political contributions accepted and all political expenditures made before the effective date of the campaign treasurer appointment.

(e) This section does not apply to an out-of-state political committee unless the committee is subject to Chapter 252 under Section 251.005.

(f) A person who violates this section commits an offense. An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 899, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 304, Sec. 5.04, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 531, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

Amended by:

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1079 (H.B. 1647), Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 2005.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 14 cases, 1990–2015 · leading case: Ragsdale v. Progressive Voters League, 801 S.W.2d 880 (Tex. 1990).
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Ragsdale v. Progressive Voters League, 801 S.W.2d 880 (Tex. 1990). “Now codified at Tex.Elec.Code Ann. § 253.031 (Vernon’s Supp.”
Cook v. Tom Brown Ministries, 385 S.W.3d 592 (Tex. App. 2012). “Tex. Elec. Code Ann. § 253.031 (West 2010).”
Ragsdale v. Progressive Voters League, 790 S.W.2d 77 (Tex. App. 1990). “002(f)(2), 251.-002(g) and 251.008(a). 3 . Section 251.”
King Street Patriots v. Texas Democratic Party, 459 S.W.3d 631 (Tex. App. 2014). “See Tex. Elec. Code §§ 253.031(c), .037(a). Section 253.”
Hoyt v. City of El Paso, 878 F. Supp. 2d 721 (W.D. Tex. 2012). “Tex. Elec. Code Ann. § 253.031 . Its enforcement provision, section 253.”
James Sylvester, Ken Yarborough, & Josephine Miller v. Texas Ass'n of Bus. Bill Hammond BACPAC Cigna Healthcare of Texas, Inc. & Connecticut Gen. Life Ins. Co. (Tex. App. 2014). · cites it 2× “, Tex. Elec. Code §§ 253.031–.043 (provisions directed to political committees, officeholders, and candidates); §§ 253.”
John F. Cook v. Tom Brown Ministries, Word of Life Church of El Paso, Tom Brown, El Pasoans for Traditional Fam. Values, Salvador Gomez, Ben Mendoza, Elizabeth Branham & Richarda Momsen, Solely in Her Off. Capacity as El Paso City Clerk (Tex. App. 2012). · cites it 2× “TEX. ELEC. CODE ANN. § 253.031 (West 2010).”
Untitled Texas Attorney Gen. Opinion (Tex. Att'y Gen. 2008). · cites it 2× “See TEX. ELEC. CODE ANN. § 253.031 (Vernon Supp.”
King Street Patriots, Catherine Engelbrecht, Bryan Engelbrecht & Diane Josephs v. Texas Democratic Party Gilberto Hinojosa, Successor to Boyd Richie, in His Capacity as Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party & John Warren, in His Capacity as Democratic Nominee for Dallas Cnty. Clerk (Tex. App. 2014). “See Tex. Elec. Code §§ 253.031(c), .037(a). Section 253.”
King Street Patriots, Catherine Engelbrecht, Bryan Engelbrecht & Diane Josephs v. Texas Democratic Party Gilberto Hinojosa, Successor to Boyd Richie, in His Capacity as Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party & John Warren, in His Capacity as Democratic Nominee for Dallas Cnty. Clerk (Tex. App. 2014). “See Tex. Elec. Code §§ 253.031(c), .037(a). Section 253.”
Repub. Governors Ass'n// Chris Bell v. Chris Bell// Cross-Appellee, Repub. Governors Ass'n, 421 S.W.3d 42 (Tex. App. 2013). “Tex. Elec.Code § 253.031. 3 . Bell also sued Texans for Rick Perry and Dr.”
King Street Patriots, Catherine Engelbrecht, Bryan Engelbrecht & Diane Josephs v. Texas Democratic Party Gilberto Hinojosa, Successor to Boyd Richie, in His Capacity as Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party & John Warren, in His Capacity as Democratic Nominee for Dallas Cnty. Clerk (Tex. App. 2015). “See Tex. Elec. Code§§ 253.031(c), .037(a). Section 253.”
Show all 14 citing cases →
— Tex. Elec. Code § 253.031(a) — 1 case
Untitled Texas Attorney Gen. Opinion (Tex. Att'y Gen. 2008). “See TEX. ELEC. CODE ANN. § 253.031 (Vernon Supp.”
— Tex. Elec. Code § 253.031(b) — 2 cases
Ragsdale v. Progressive Voters League, 790 S.W.2d 77 (Tex. App. 1990). “002(f)(2), 251.-002(g) and 251.008(a). 3 . Section 251.”
John F. Cook v. Tom Brown Ministries, Word of Life Church of El Paso, Tom Brown, El Pasoans for Traditional Fam. Values, Salvador Gomez, Ben Mendoza, Elizabeth Branham & Richarda Momsen, Solely in Her Off. Capacity as El Paso City Clerk (Tex. App. 2012). “TEX. ELEC. CODE ANN. § 253.031 (West 2010).”
— Tex. Elec. Code § 253.031(c) — 6 cases
King Street Patriots v. Texas Democratic Party, 459 S.W.3d 631 (Tex. App. 2014). “See Tex. Elec. Code §§ 253.031(c), .037(a). Section 253.”
King Street Patriots, Catherine Engelbrecht, Bryan Engelbrecht & Diane Josephs v. Texas Democratic Party Gilberto Hinojosa, Successor to Boyd Richie, in His Capacity as Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party & John Warren, in His Capacity as Democratic Nominee for Dallas Cnty. Clerk (Tex. App. 2014). “See Tex. Elec. Code §§ 253.031(c), .037(a). Section 253.”
King Street Patriots, Catherine Engelbrecht, Bryan Engelbrecht & Diane Josephs v. Texas Democratic Party Gilberto Hinojosa, Successor to Boyd Richie, in His Capacity as Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party & John Warren, in His Capacity as Democratic Nominee for Dallas Cnty. Clerk (Tex. App. 2014). “See Tex. Elec. Code §§ 253.031(c), .037(a). Section 253.”
James Sylvester, Ken Yarborough, & Josephine Miller v. Texas Ass'n of Bus. Bill Hammond BACPAC Cigna Healthcare of Texas, Inc. & Connecticut Gen. Life Ins. Co. (Tex. App. 2014). “, Tex. Elec. Code §§ 253.031–.043 (provisions directed to political committees, officeholders, and candidates); §§ 253.”
King Street Patriots, Catherine Engelbrecht, Bryan Engelbrecht & Diane Josephs v. Texas Democratic Party Gilberto Hinojosa, Successor to Boyd Richie, in His Capacity as Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party & John Warren, in His Capacity as Democratic Nominee for Dallas Cnty. Clerk (Tex. App. 2015). “See Tex. Elec. Code§§ 253.031(c), .037(a). Section 253.”
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