Texas Codes

Tex. Elec. Code § 253.155 (2026)

Contribution Limits

✓ current as of May 2026

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Sec. 253.155. CONTRIBUTION LIMITS. (a) A judicial candidate or officeholder may not knowingly accept political contributions from a person that, in the aggregate, exceed the contribution limits prescribed by Subsection (b) in connection with each election in which the judicial candidate's name appears on the ballot.

(b) The contribution limits under this section are:

(1) for a statewide judicial office, $5,000; or

(2) for any other judicial office:

(A) $1,000, if the population of the judicial district is less than 250,000;

(B) $2,500, if the population of the judicial district is 250,000 to one million; or

(d) Repealed by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 384 (H.B. 3233), Sec. 17(1), eff. June 2, 2019.

(d-1) In addition to the contribution limits imposed on each contributor under this section, a judicial candidate or officeholder may not accept a political contribution in excess of $50 from a person if:

(1) the person is part of a law firm group; and

(2) the contribution, when aggregated with all political contributions accepted by the candidate or officeholder from the same law firm group in connection with the election, would exceed six times the applicable contribution limit under this section.

(e) A person who receives a political contribution that violates this section shall return the contribution to the contributor not later than the later of:

(1) the last day of the reporting period in which the contribution is received; or

(2) the fifth day after the date the contribution is received.

(f) 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. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1096, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 384 (H.B. 3233), Sec. 4, eff. June 2, 2019.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 384 (H.B. 3233), Sec. 17(1), eff. June 2, 2019.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 7 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2014–2022 · leading case: Cary v. State, 507 S.W.3d 750 (Tex. Crim. App. 2016).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

Cary v. State, 507 S.W.3d 750 (Tex. Crim. App. 2016). “Tex. Elec. Code§ 253.155(b). . The court of appeals treated the phrase "political contribution” in two contradictory ways.”

Cary, Stacy Stine (Tex. App. 2015). · cites it 4× “17 TEX. ELEC. CODE § 253.155 ...............”

Charles Von Schmidt v. John Wells III (Tex. App. 2022). “] Tex. Elec. Code Ann. § 253.155 (a), (b)(1)-(2)(A).”

Stacy Stine Cary v. State (Tex. App. 2014). “See TEX. ELEC. CODE ANN. § 253.155(b) (West 2010).”

Cary, Stacy Stine (Tex. App. 2015). “See Tex. Elec. Code Ann. § 253.155 (b) (West 2010).”

Cary, David Frederick (Tex. App. 2015). “104 Texas Elec. Code § 253.155 . . . . . . . .”

Cary, David Frederick (Tex. App. 2015). “See Tex. Elec. Code Ann. § 253.155 (b) (West 2010).”

— Tex. Elec. Code § 253.155(b) — 2 cases

Cary v. State, 507 S.W.3d 750 (Tex. Crim. App. 2016). “Tex. Elec. Code§ 253.155(b). . The court of appeals treated the phrase "political contribution” in two contradictory ways.”

Stacy Stine Cary v. State (Tex. App. 2014). “See TEX. ELEC. CODE ANN. § 253.155(b) (West 2010).”

— Tex. Elec. Code § 253.155(b)(2)(B) — 1 case

Cary, Stacy Stine (Tex. App. 2015). “17 TEX. ELEC. CODE § 253.155 ...............”

— Tex. Elec. Code § 253.155(f) — 1 case

Cary, Stacy Stine (Tex. App. 2015). “17 TEX. ELEC. CODE § 253.155 ...............”

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