TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION
The Texas Ethics Commission is authorized by Government Code, sec.571.091, to 
issue advisory opinions in regard to the following statutes: the Government 
Code, Chapter 302; the Government Code, Chapter 305; the Government Code, 
Chapter 572; the Election Code, Title 15; the Penal Code, Chapter 36; and the 
Penal Code, Chapter 39.
Requests for copies of the full text of opinions or questions on particular 
submissions should be addressed to the Office of the Texas Ethics Commission, 
P.O. Box 12070, Austin, Texas 78711-2070, (512) 463-5800.

EAO No. 331 Whether a judicial candidate is required to report a transaction in 
which several individuals, acting together, make a direct campaign expenditure 
of less than $500 to support the candidate. (AOR-374)
SUMMARY A candidate is required to report a direct campaign expenditure (as 
opposed to a contribution) made to support him or her only if the candidate 
receives notice under the Election Code, sec.sec.253.062(a)(1), 254.128(a), or 
254.161. 

EAO No. 332 Whether contributions collected by an officeholder's son for a 
retirement party for the officeholder are "officeholder contributions" to the 
officeholder. (AOR-369) 
SUMMARY Contributions collected by an officeholder's son for a retirement party 
for the officeholder are "officeholder contributions" subject to title 15 of the 
Election Code if the officeholder plays a decision-making role in regard to the 
party.

EAO No. 333 Questions regarding the application of Government Code, sec.572.024, 
which requires the disclosure of fees received by a state officer for services 
rendered to or on behalf of a person or entity the officer actually knows 
directly compensates or reimburses a person required to be registered as a 
lobbyist. (AOR-371)
SUMMARY For purposes of Government Code, sec.572.024, a state officer "actually 
knows" that a client directly compensates or reimburses a person required to be 
registered as a lobbyist if the state officer has express information to that 
effect or can acquire that express information through readily available means. 
A fee received by a business entity from a client who directly compensates or 
reimburses a person required to be registered as a lobbyist is not a fee 
received by a state officer for purposes of sec.572.024 unless the business 
entity is the alter ego of the state officer. 

EAO No. 334 Whether an elected city official may accept contributions to a legal 
defense fund to pay expenses in connection with a federal investigation of and 
possible indictment for alleged official misconduct. (AOR-372) 
SUMMARY Contributions to an officeholder made with the intent to defray expenses 
incurred by the officeholder in connection with an investigation of the 
officeholder for alleged official misconduct are "officeholder contributions" 
for purposes of title 15 of the Election Code. 

EAO No. 335 Determination of the ending date for the period during which a 
judicial candidate may accept political contributions if the candidate was in a 
primary runoff and is unopposed in the November general election. (AOR-375)
SUMMARY A candidate in a primary runoff and unopposed in the general election 
may accept political contributions during a period ending 120 days after the 
date of the primary runoff. 

Questions on particular submissions should be addressed to the Texas Ethics 
Commission, P. O. Box 12070, Capitol Station, Austin, Texas 78711-2070, (512) 
463-5800.
Issued in Austin, Texas, on July 24, 1996.
TRD-9610678
Karen Lundquist
General Counsel
Texas Ethics Commission
Filed: July 24, 1996