By:  Jones, D.                                        H.B. No. 2839
       73R8467 LJD-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to city and county fees on racetrack admissions.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Section 6.17(a), Texas Racing Act (Article 179e,
    1-5  Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
    1-6        (a)  A commissioners court may collect a fee not to exceed 15
    1-7  cents on each paid admission as an admission fee to a licensed
    1-8  racetrack located within the county.  If the racetrack is located
    1-9  within an incorporated city or town, the governing body of the city
   1-10  or town may collect a fee not to exceed 15 cents on each paid
   1-11  admission as an admission fee to a licensed racetrack located
   1-12  within the city or town.  If the racetrack is not located within an
   1-13  incorporated city or town, the court may collect an additional fee
   1-14  not to exceed 15 cents on each paid admission as an admission fee
   1-15  to a licensed racetrack located within the county for allocation
   1-16  among the incorporated cities or towns in the county.  If the
   1-17  racetrack is not located in an incorporated city or town, the court
   1-18  shall collect the additional fee on each paid admission if
   1-19  requested to do so by the governing bodies of a majority of the
   1-20  incorporated cities and towns in the county.  Allocation of the
   1-21  fees shall be based on the population within the county of the
   1-22  cities or towns.
   1-23        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-24  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-1  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-2  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-3  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-4  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-5  passage, and it is so enacted.