By:  Hirschi                                          H.B. No. 1481
       73R1197 CAE-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to an explanation of the rating system on a written
    1-3  advertisement for a motion picture; providing a criminal penalty.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Title 6, Revised Statutes, is amended by adding
    1-6  Article 179c-1 to read as follows:
    1-7        Art. 179c-1.  EXPLANATION OF RATING OF MOTION PICTURE
    1-8        Sec. 1.  DEFINITIONS.   In this article:
    1-9              (1)  "Distributor" means a person engaged in the
   1-10  business of distributing or supplying more than one motion picture
   1-11  film a year to exhibitors by licensing contract, agreement, or
   1-12  understanding.
   1-13              (2)  "Exhibitor" means a person engaged in the business
   1-14  of operating one or more theaters in which motion picture films are
   1-15  exhibited to the public.
   1-16              (3)  "Written advertisement" means a commercial message
   1-17  in any written medium that directly or indirectly promotes the
   1-18  attention of the public to a motion picture.
   1-19        Sec. 2.  EXPLANATION OF RATING.   (a)  A distributor or
   1-20  exhibitor that displays, publishes, or causes to be displayed or
   1-21  published a written advertisement for a motion picture rated by a
   1-22  motion picture rating association generally recognized by the
   1-23  motion picture industry shall display in the written advertisement
   1-24  the rating explanation code assigned to that motion picture.
    2-1        (b)  The rating explanation required by Subsection (a) of
    2-2  this section must be:
    2-3              (1)  legible;
    2-4              (2)  located within one-half inch of the rating; and
    2-5              (3)  at least the same type size as the type size of
    2-6  the time of the exhibition if the written advertisement states the
    2-7  time of the exhibition of the motion picture.
    2-8        Sec. 3.  PENALTY.  (a)  A person who violates a provision of
    2-9  this article commits an offense.
   2-10        (b)  An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
   2-11        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and
   2-12  applies only to a written advertisement published or displayed on
   2-13  or after that date.
   2-14        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-15  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-16  emergency   and   an   imperative   public   necessity   that   the
   2-17  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-18  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.