By Eckels                                             H.B. No. 2221
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the rate of the state sales and use tax and the
    1-3  dedication of a portion thereof to criminal justice purposes.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 151.051, Tax Code, is amended by amending
    1-6  Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
    1-7        (b)  The sales tax rate is 6 3/4 <6 1/4> percent of the sales
    1-8  price of the taxable item sold.
    1-9        (c)  A portion of the sales tax imposed equal to one half of
   1-10  one percent of the sales price of the taxable item sold shall be
   1-11  dedicated to the following criminal justice purposes:  Prison
   1-12  operations; new prison construction; parole special programs and
   1-13  operations including the funding of intermediate sanction
   1-14  facilities for parole violators; and alternative community
   1-15  corrections programs.  The Legislature may not use this additional
   1-16  revenue to supplant funds currently being spent for criminal
   1-17  justice purposes.   The funds shall be used for additional
   1-18  facilities and programs.
   1-19        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect on the date on which the
   1-20  constitutional amendment proposed by the 73rd Legislature,
   1-21  dedicating a portion of the sales tax to criminal justice purposes,
   1-22  takes effect.
   1-23        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-1  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-2  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-3  constitutional rule requiring bill to be read on three several days
    2-4  in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.