(a) Board members shall not direct or request that any MTA employee, contractor, or proposer make a charitable contribution.
(b) (1) This section does not prohibit a board member from making a solicitation or request for a charitable contribution if a payment that is made in response to the solicitation or request by the board member would not be considered a behested payment, pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 82004.5 of the Government Code and related regulations adopted by the Fair Political Practices Commission, if the payment was made at the behest of an elected officer.
(2) This section does not prohibit a board member from making a solicitation or request for a charitable contribution, including a solicitation or request by the board member that results in a reportable behested payment, if the solicitation or request is made to a person other than one identified in subdivision (a).