House Bill No. 3592 introduces new regulations regarding political contributions from out-of-state contributors in Texas. It adds Section 253.044 to the Election Code, which prohibits candidates and officeholders from knowingly accepting political contributions from individuals whose principal address is outside Texas if the contributions exceed specified limits: $5,000 for statewide offices, $2,500 for district offices, and $1,000 for county offices. If a candidate or officeholder violates this provision, they are required to return the contribution within a specified timeframe and may face civil penalties up to three times the amount of the illegal contributions.

The bill also mandates that the Texas commission adopt necessary rules to implement these restrictions and clarifies that the new regulations apply only to contributions accepted on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025. Contributions accepted prior to this date will be governed by the existing laws at that time.

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