By: Kuempel H.B. No. 249 73R1142 LGF-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the authority of a county to regulate the use of 1-3 certain weapons in the unincorporated area of a county; providing a 1-4 penalty. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Chapter 240, Local Government Code, is amended by 1-7 adding Subchapter C to read as follows: 1-8 SUBCHAPTER C. REGULATION OF USE OF BOWS AND ARROWS 1-9 Sec. 240.041. SUBDIVISIONS COVERED BY SUBCHAPTER. This 1-10 subchapter applies only to a subdivision all or a part of which is 1-11 located in the unincorporated area of a county and for which a plat 1-12 is required to be prepared and filed under Chapter 232. 1-13 Sec. 240.042. AUTHORITY TO REGULATE. (a) To promote the 1-14 public safety, the commissioners court of a county by order may 1-15 prohibit or otherwise regulate hunting with bows and arrows on lots 1-16 that are 10 acres or smaller and are located in the unincorporated 1-17 area of the county in a subdivision. 1-18 (b) In this section, "hunting" means to hunt as defined by 1-19 Section 1.101, Parks and Wildlife Code. 1-20 Sec. 240.043. PROHIBITED REGULATIONS. This subchapter does 1-21 not authorize the commissioners court to regulate the transfer, 1-22 ownership, possession, or transportation of bows and arrows and 1-23 does not authorize the court to require the registration of bows 1-24 and arrows. 2-1 Sec. 240.044. INJUNCTION. Any person is entitled to 2-2 appropriate injunctive relief to prevent a violation or threatened 2-3 violation of a prohibition or other regulation adopted under this 2-4 subchapter from continuing or occurring. 2-5 Sec. 240.045. CRIMINAL PENALTY. A person commits an offense 2-6 if the person intentionally or knowingly engages in conduct that is 2-7 a violation of a regulation adopted under this subchapter by the 2-8 commissioners court. An offense under this section is a Class C 2-9 misdemeanor. If it is shown on the trial of an offense under this 2-10 section that the person has previously been convicted of an offense 2-11 under this section, the offense is a Class B misdemeanor. 2-12 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-13 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-14 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-15 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-16 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-17 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-18 passage, and it is so enacted.