S.B. No. 83
AN ACT
1-1 relating to the payment date of certain public utility assessments
1-2 and utility service and related service provided by or to the
1-3 state, a state agency or institution, or a local government.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. The Public Utility Regulatory Act (Article 1446c,
1-6 Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) is amended by adding Section 79A to
1-7 read as follows:
1-8 Sec. 79A. (a) For the assessments covered by this section,
1-9 assessments are due as provided by this section notwithstanding
1-10 Section 79 of this Act, based on a public utility's estimate of its
1-11 gross receipts.
1-12 (b) For the assessment due August 15, 1995, 50 percent of
1-13 the assessment must be paid by August 15, 1994, and 50 percent must
1-14 be paid by February 15, 1995.
1-15 (c) For the assessment due August 15, 1996, 50 percent of
1-16 the assessment must be paid by August 15, 1995, and 50 percent must
1-17 be paid by February 15, 1996.
1-18 (d) For the assessment due August 15, 1997, 50 percent of
1-19 the assessment must be paid by August 15, 1996, and the remainder
1-20 must be paid by August 15, 1997.
1-21 (e) Any assessment amounts underpaid on assessments due on
1-22 August 15, 1995, or August 15, 1996, must be paid by those
1-23 respective dates. Any assessment amounts overpaid shall be
1-24 credited against following assessments.
2-1 (f) This section expires September 1, 1997.
2-2 SECTION 2. Section 1.03, Gas Utility Regulatory Act (Article
2-3 1446e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by adding
2-4 Subdivision (17) to read as follows:
2-5 (17) "State agency" has the meaning assigned by Section 2,
2-6 Chapter 421, Acts of the 63rd Legislature, Regular Session, 1973
2-7 (Article 6252-9b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), to the extent
2-8 such state agency must obtain the approval described in Section
2-9 31.401(a), Natural Resources Code.
2-10 SECTION 3. Section 4.09, Gas Utility Regulatory Act (Article
2-11 1446e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by adding
2-12 Subsection (d) to read as follows:
2-13 (d) A utility or municipally owned utility may not refuse to
2-14 provide service to a state agency if pipeline capacity is available
2-15 on existing facilities of the utility or municipally owned utility.
2-16 SECTION 4. The Gas Utility Regulatory Act (Article 1446e,
2-17 Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) is amended by adding Section 5.061
2-18 to read as follows:
2-19 Sec. 5.061. RATES CHARGED STATE. The rates that a utility
2-20 or municipally owned utility charges a state agency may not include
2-21 an amount representing a gross receipts assessment, regulatory
2-22 assessment, or similar expense of the utility. Any such reasonable
2-23 expense not recovered from a state agency pursuant to this section
2-24 may be recovered from other customers of the utility or municipally
2-25 owned utility.
2-26 SECTION 5. Section 5.02, Gas Utility Regulatory Act (Article
2-27 1446e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as
3-1 follows:
3-2 Sec. 5.02. Just and Reasonable Rates. (a) It shall be the
3-3 duty of the regulatory authority to ensure that every rate made,
3-4 demanded, or received by any gas utility, or by any two or more gas
3-5 utilities jointly, is just and reasonable. Rates may not be
3-6 unreasonably preferential, prejudicial, or discriminatory, but must
3-7 be sufficient, equitable, and consistent in application to each
3-8 class of consumers. For ratemaking purposes, the railroad
3-9 commission may treat two or more municipalities served by a gas
3-10 utility as a single class if the railroad commission considers that
3-11 treatment to be appropriate.
3-12 (b) Rates charged or offered to be charged by a gas utility
3-13 for pipeline-to-pipeline transactions and to transportation,
3-14 industrial, and other similar large volume contract customers, but
3-15 excluding direct sales-for-resale to gas distribution utilities at
3-16 city gates, are considered to be just and reasonable and otherwise
3-17 to comply with this section, and shall be approved by the
3-18 regulatory authority, if:
3-19 (1) neither the gas utility nor the customer had an
3-20 unfair advantage during the negotiations;
3-21 (2) the rates are substantially the same as rates
3-22 between the gas utility and two or more of those customers under
3-23 the same or similar conditions of service; or
3-24 (3) competition does or did exist either with another
3-25 gas utility, another supplier of natural gas, or with a supplier of
3-26 an alternative form of energy.
3-27 (c) Notwithstanding Subsection (b) of this section, absent a
4-1 contract between a utility or municipally owned utility and a state
4-2 agency for transportation service, the railroad commission shall,
4-3 not later than the 210th day after the date either party files a
4-4 request to set a transportation rate, establish such transportation
4-5 rate for the state agency. The railroad commission may order
4-6 temporary rates as provided for under its appellate jurisdiction.
4-7 The railroad commission shall base its determination of the
4-8 transportation rate on the cost of providing the transportation
4-9 service for both the distribution system and/or the transmission
4-10 system of the utility or municipally owned utility. The railroad
4-11 commission has exclusive original jurisdiction to establish
4-12 transportation rates for state agencies under this subsection.
4-13 (d) If a complaint is filed with the railroad commission by
4-14 a transmission pipeline purchaser of gas sold or transported under
4-15 any such pipeline-to-pipeline or transportation rate, then the
4-16 provisions of Subsection (b) shall not apply.
4-17 (e) <(d)> Notwithstanding any provision in this Act to the
4-18 contrary, the regulatory authority may approve administratively any
4-19 decrease in rates proposed by the applicant and agreed upon by all
4-20 parties directly affected, unless the regulatory authority finds
4-21 the proposed decrease not to be in the public interest.
4-22 (f) <(d)> The standard contained in Subsection (b)(1) of
4-23 this section shall not apply to rates charged or offered to be
4-24 charged to an affiliated pipeline utility. Gas purchase costs
4-25 included in city gate rates proposed to be charged for
4-26 sales-for-resale to gas distribution utilities at city gates may be
4-27 reviewed as to reasonableness in city gate rate proceedings even
5-1 though they have been previously approved as rates for other
5-2 parties under Subsection (b) of this section.
5-3 SECTION 6. Article X, Gas Utility Regulatory Act (Article
5-4 1446e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by adding
5-5 Sections 10.05 and 10.06 to read as follows:
5-6 Sec. 10.05. BILLING FOR SERVICE TO STATE. A utility or
5-7 municipally owned utility may not bill or otherwise require the
5-8 state or a state agency or institution to pay for service before
5-9 the service is rendered.
5-10 Sec. 10.06. TIME OF PAYMENT OF UTILITY BILLS BY STATE.
5-11 (a) In this section, "utility" includes a municipally owned
5-12 utility.
5-13 (b) The commission shall adopt rules concerning payment of
5-14 utility bills that are consistent with Chapter 82, Acts of the 69th
5-15 Legislature, Regular Session, 1985 (Article 601f, Vernon's Texas
5-16 Civil Statutes), and its subsequent amendments.
5-17 (c) This Act does not prohibit a utility from entering into
5-18 an agreement with the state or a state agency to establish a
5-19 levelized or average monthly service billing plan. The agreement
5-20 must require reconciliation of the levelized or equalized bills
5-21 quarterly.
5-22 SECTION 7. Subchapter E, Chapter 13, Water Code, is amended
5-23 by adding Sections 13.141 and 13.142 to read as follows:
5-24 Sec. 13.141. BILLING FOR SERVICE TO STATE. A utility or
5-25 municipally owned utility may not bill or otherwise require the
5-26 state or a state agency or institution to pay for service before
5-27 the service is rendered.
6-1 Sec. 13.142. TIME OF PAYMENT OF UTILITY BILLS BY STATE.
6-2 (a) In this section, "utility" includes a municipally owned
6-3 utility.
6-4 (b) The commission shall adopt rules concerning payment of
6-5 utility bills that are consistent with Chapter 82, Acts of the 69th
6-6 Legislature, Regular Session, 1985 (Article 601f, Vernon's Texas
6-7 Civil Statutes), and its subsequent amendments.
6-8 (c) This Act does not prohibit a utility from entering into
6-9 an agreement with the state or a state agency to establish a
6-10 levelized or average monthly service billing plan. The agreement
6-11 must require reconciliation of the levelized or equalized bills
6-12 quarterly.
6-13 SECTION 8. Subchapter F, Chapter 13, Water Code, is amended
6-14 by adding Section 13.1861 to read as follows:
6-15 Sec. 13.1861. RATES CHARGED STATE. The rates that a utility
6-16 or municipally owned utility charges the state or a state agency or
6-17 institution may not include an amount representing a gross receipts
6-18 assessment, regulatory assessment, or other similar expense. A
6-19 regulatory authority may adopt reasonable rules specifying similar
6-20 expenses to be excluded.
6-21 SECTION 9. Section 403.056, Government Code, is amended by
6-22 adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
6-23 (e) Notwithstanding Subsection (c), the comptroller may
6-24 deliver a warrant for payment of a bill for gas or water service
6-25 provided to the state or a state agency directly to the utility
6-26 that provided the service. The comptroller may adopt rules to
6-27 carry out this subsection, consistent with Chapter 82, Acts of the
7-1 69th Legislature, Regular Session, 1985 (Article 601f, Vernon's
7-2 Texas Civil Statutes).
7-3 SECTION 10. Subsections (b) and (c), Section 10.06, State
7-4 Purchasing and General Services Act (Article 601b, Vernon's Texas
7-5 Civil Statutes), are amended to read as follows:
7-6 (b) The comptroller of public accounts shall establish in
7-7 the state treasury a revolving fund account for the administration
7-8 of this article. The account shall be used as a depository for
7-9 funds received from entities served <and as a source of funds to
7-10 purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire services, supplies, and
7-11 equipment, and to pay salaries, wages, and other costs directly
7-12 attributable to the provisions and operations of the system>.
7-13 (c) In order to provide an adequate cash flow as may be
7-14 necessary for purposes of this article, using state agencies and
7-15 other entities, upon proper notification, shall make monthly
7-16 payments into the telecommunications revolving fund account from
7-17 appropriated or other available funds. The legislature may
7-18 appropriate funds for the operation of the system directly to the
7-19 commission. In that case the revolving fund account shall be used
7-20 to receive funds due from local government entities and other
7-21 agencies to the extent that their funds are not subject to
7-22 legislative appropriation. The commission shall maintain in the
7-23 revolving fund account sufficient amounts to pay the bills of the
7-24 consolidated telecommunications systems and the centralized Capitol
7-25 Complex telephone system. The commission shall certify amounts
7-26 that exceed this amount to the comptroller, and the comptroller
7-27 shall transfer the excess amounts to the credit of the statewide
8-1 network applications account established by Section 22A,
8-2 Information Resources Management Act (Article 4413(32j), Revised
8-3 Statutes), and its subsequent amendments.
8-4 SECTION 11. Section 1, Chapter 82, Acts of the 69th
8-5 Legislature, Regular Session, 1985 (Article 601f, Vernon's Texas
8-6 Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
8-7 Sec. 1. Definitions. In this Act:
8-8 (1) "State agency" means:
8-9 (A) a board, commission, department, office, or
8-10 other agency in the executive branch of state government that was
8-11 created under the constitution or a statute of the state, including
8-12 an institution of higher education as defined by Section 61.003,
8-13 Education Code, and a river authority;
8-14 (B) the legislature or a legislative agency; or
8-15 (C) the supreme court, the court of criminal
8-16 appeals, a court of appeals, a state judicial agency, or the State
8-17 Bar of Texas.
8-18 (2) "Political subdivision" means:
8-19 (A) a county;
8-20 (B) an incorporated city or town;
8-21 (C) a public school district; or
8-22 (D) a special purpose district or authority.
8-23 (3) "Governmental entity" means a state agency or a
8-24 political subdivision of this state.
8-25 (4) "Payment" means money owed to a vendor from whom a
8-26 governmental entity acquires property or services.
8-27 (5) "Commission" means the State Purchasing and
9-1 General Services Commission.
9-2 (6) "Vendor" means a person, corporation, association,
9-3 partnership, or other legal entity that supplies goods and/or
9-4 services to a governmental entity.
9-5 (7) "Services" includes gas and water utility service.
9-6 (8) "Subcontractor" means a person who contracts with
9-7 a vendor to work, or has contracted with a vendor to contribute
9-8 toward the completion of work done, for a governmental entity.
9-9 SECTION 12. Section 7, Chapter 82, Acts of the 69th
9-10 Legislature, Regular Session, 1985 (Article 601f, Vernon's Texas
9-11 Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as
9-12 follows:
9-13 (c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) of this section, this Act
9-14 applies to payments made by a state agency for gas or water utility
9-15 service regardless of any contractual provision.
9-16 SECTION 13. The Information Resources Management Act
9-17 (Article 4413(32j), Revised Statutes) is amended by adding Section
9-18 22A to read as follows:
9-19 Sec. 22A. STATEWIDE NETWORK APPLICATIONS ACCOUNT. The
9-20 statewide network applications account is established in the
9-21 general revenue fund. Money credited to the account is from
9-22 transfers of excess balances in the telecommunications revolving
9-23 fund account as provided by Section 10.06(c), State Purchasing and
9-24 General Services Act (Article 601b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes),
9-25 and its subsequent amendments. Amounts credited to the statewide
9-26 network applications account may be appropriated only for the
9-27 purchase, improvement, or maintenance of information resources,
10-1 information resources technologies or applications, or related
10-2 services and other items for use by a network of state agencies
10-3 which may include agencies in the legislative branch of government.
10-4 SECTION 14. Section 1, Article 6050, Revised Statutes, is
10-5 amended to read as follows:
10-6 Sec. 1. In this article, "person" means an individual,
10-7 company, or private corporation, or their lessees, trustees, and
10-8 receivers. In Articles 6050-6066, Revised Civil Statutes of Texas,
10-9 1925, as amended, "gas utility," "public utility," or "utility"
10-10 means a person owning, managing, operating, leasing or controlling
10-11 within this State any pipe lines, plant, property, equipment,
10-12 facility, franchise, license, or permit for either one or more of
10-13 the following kinds of business:
10-14 (a) Transporting, conveying, distributing or
10-15 delivering natural gas: (1) for public use or service for
10-16 compensation; (2) for sale to municipalities or persons or
10-17 companies, in those cases referred to in Subsection (c) hereof,
10-18 engaged in distributing or selling natural gas to the public; (3)
10-19 for sale or delivery of natural gas to any person operating under
10-20 franchise or a contract with any municipality or other legal
10-21 subdivision of this State; or, (4) for sale or delivery of natural
10-22 gas to the public for domestic or other use.
10-23 (b) Owning or operating or managing a pipe line for
10-24 the transportation or carriage of natural gas, whether for public
10-25 hire or not, if any part of the right of way for said line has been
10-26 acquired, or is hereafter acquired by the exercise of the right of
10-27 eminent domain.
11-1 (c) Producing or purchasing natural gas and
11-2 transporting or causing the same to be transported by pipe lines to
11-3 or near the limits of any municipality in which said gas is
11-4 received and distributed or sold to the public by another public
11-5 utility or by said municipality, in all cases where such business
11-6 is in fact the only or practically exclusive agency of supply of
11-7 natural gas to such utility or municipality, is hereby declared to
11-8 be virtual monopoly and a business and calling affected with a
11-9 public interest, and the said business and property employed
11-10 therein within this State shall be subject to the provisions of
11-11 this law and to the jurisdiction and regulation of the Commission
11-12 as a gas utility.
11-13 (d) No person shall be deemed to be a "gas utility,"
11-14 "public utility," or "utility" solely because such person is an
11-15 affiliate of such an entity. The term "gas utility," "public
11-16 utility," or "utility" does not include a person not otherwise a
11-17 gas utility that transports gas on behalf of the state or a state
11-18 agency or institution.
11-19 (e) Every such gas utility is hereby declared to be
11-20 affected with a public interest and subject to the jurisdiction,
11-21 control and regulation of the Commission as provided herein.
11-22 SECTION 15. Article 6050, Revised Statutes, is amended by
11-23 adding Section 6 to read as follows:
11-24 Sec. 6. (a) A gas utility may not refuse to provide service
11-25 to the state or a state agency or institution if pipeline capacity
11-26 is available.
11-27 (b) In this section, "gas utility" includes a municipally
12-1 owned utility as that term is defined by Section 1.03, Gas Utility
12-2 Regulatory Act (Article 1446e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), and
12-3 its subsequent amendments.
12-4 SECTION 16. Section 1, Article 6053, Revised Statutes, is
12-5 amended to read as follows:
12-6 Sec. 1. (a) The Commission after due notice shall fix and
12-7 establish and enforce the adequate and reasonable price of gas and
12-8 fair and reasonable rates of charges and regulations for
12-9 transporting, producing, distributing, buying, selling, and
12-10 delivering gas by such pipe lines in this State; and shall
12-11 establish fair and equitable rules and regulations for the full
12-12 control and supervision of said gas pipe lines and all their
12-13 holdings pertaining to the gas business in all their relations to
12-14 the public, as the Commission may from time to time deem proper;
12-15 and establish a fair and equitable division of the proceeds of the
12-16 sale of gas between the companies transporting or producing the gas
12-17 and the companies distributing or selling it; and prescribe and
12-18 enforce rules and regulations for the government and control of
12-19 such pipe lines in respect to their gas pipe lines and producing,
12-20 receiving, transporting, and distributing facilities; and regulate
12-21 and apportion the supply of gas between towns, cities, and
12-22 corporations, and when the supply of gas controlled by any gas pipe
12-23 line shall be inadequate, the Commission shall prescribe fair and
12-24 reasonable rules and regulations requiring such gas pipe lines to
12-25 augment their supply of gas, when in the judgment of the Commission
12-26 it is practicable to do so; and it shall exercise its power,
12-27 whether upon its own motion or upon petition by any person,
13-1 corporation, municipal corporation, county, or Commissioners
13-2 precinct showing a substantial interest in the subject, or upon
13-3 petition of the Attorney General, or of any County or District
13-4 Attorney in any county wherein such business or any part thereof
13-5 may be carried on.
13-6 (b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) of this section, the
13-7 Commission shall approve rates established under a contract between
13-8 a gas utility or gas supplier and a State agency or institution.
13-9 Absent a contract between a gas utility or gas supplier and a State
13-10 agency or institution, the Commission shall, not later than the
13-11 120th day after the date either party files a request to set rates,
13-12 establish rates not to exceed the gas utility's or gas supplier's
13-13 cost-based transportation rate. The Commission shall base its
13-14 determination of a cost-based transportation rate on the entire
13-15 distribution system of the gas utility or gas supplier in this
13-16 State. The Commission has exclusive original jurisdiction to
13-17 establish rates under this subsection. In this subsection, the
13-18 term "gas utility" or "gas supplier" includes a municipally owned
13-19 utility as that term is defined by Section 1.03, Gas Utility
13-20 Regulatory Act (Article 1446e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), and
13-21 its subsequent amendments.
13-22 (c) If any transportation, industrial, or other similar
13-23 large-volume contract customer who is an end-use customer of a gas
13-24 utility (i) reduces or ceases purchases of natural gas or of
13-25 natural gas service from the gas utility and (ii) purchases natural
13-26 gas or natural gas service from another supplier or purchases an
13-27 alternate form of energy, then the gas utility thereafter shall
14-1 have no obligation to serve or to maintain the gas supply or the
14-2 physical capacity to serve such customer, except to the extent that
14-3 such customer continues to purchase natural gas or natural gas
14-4 service of any class from the gas utility or to the extent the gas
14-5 utility has a written contract to provide natural gas or natural
14-6 gas service of any class to the customer. Nothing herein shall
14-7 prevent the Railroad Commission from requiring that utilities
14-8 comply with all orders of the Railroad Commission in apportioning
14-9 gas under curtailment plans and orders.
14-10 SECTION 17. Title 110A, Revised Statutes, is amended by
14-11 adding Article 6252-5g to read as follows:
14-12 Art. 6252-5g. UTILITY BILLING AUDIT
14-13 Sec. 1. Except as provided by Section 3 of this article,
14-14 every four years each state agency and institution of higher
14-15 education shall perform an audit of its electric, telephone, gas,
14-16 and water utility billing during the preceding four years or the
14-17 maximum recovery period. The agency or institution may contract
14-18 with a private consultant in the performance of the audit.
14-19 Sec. 2. The audit must provide information to allow the
14-20 agency or institution to ensure that it is properly classified and
14-21 subscribed and that the amounts paid for service are proper.
14-22 Sec. 3. Before the agency or institution conducts an audit
14-23 it shall analyze the potential benefit of the audit. The agency or
14-24 institution is not required to perform the audit if it determines
14-25 that the savings and refunds provided by the audit will not exceed
14-26 its cost.
14-27 Sec. 4. The audit must be funded from refunds received as a
15-1 result of the audit. The agency or institution shall take
15-2 appropriate action to recover any refund due. The attorney general
15-3 may assist in recovering a refund. The amount of any refunds
15-4 received shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of
15-5 the general revenue fund. The costs of the audit shall be paid
15-6 from amounts appropriated from those funds for that purpose.
15-7 Sec. 5. During January and June of each year during which an
15-8 audit is being conducted, the agency or institution shall submit to
15-9 the governor, Legislative Budget Board, and comptroller a report on
15-10 the status of the audit. The report must include a summary of the
15-11 costs of the audit, current audit activity, a schedule of future
15-12 activity, audit recommendations and results, pending refunds, and
15-13 recovered refunds. Not later than the 30th day after the date an
15-14 audit is completed, the agency or institution shall submit to the
15-15 governor, Legislative Budget Board, and comptroller a report on the
15-16 savings resulting from the audit, including their source, and the
15-17 costs of the audit.
15-18 SECTION 18. Subchapter B, Chapter 23, Education Code, is
15-19 amended by adding Section 23.34 to read as follows:
15-20 Sec. 23.34. UTILITY BILLING AUDIT. (a) Except as provided
15-21 by Subsection (c) of this section, every four years each school
15-22 district shall perform an audit of its electric, telephone, gas,
15-23 and water utility billing during the preceding four years. The
15-24 school district may contract with a private consultant in the
15-25 performance of the audit.
15-26 (b) The audit must provide information to allow the school
15-27 district to ensure that it is properly classified and subscribed
16-1 and that the amounts paid for service are proper.
16-2 (c) Before the school district conducts an audit it shall
16-3 analyze the potential benefit of the audit. The school district is
16-4 not required to perform the audit if it determines that the savings
16-5 and refunds provided by the audit will not exceed its cost.
16-6 (d) The audit must be funded from refunds received as a
16-7 result of the audit. The school district shall take appropriate
16-8 action to recover any refund due. The attorney general may assist
16-9 in recovering a refund.
16-10 (e) During January and June of each year during which an
16-11 audit is being conducted, the school district shall submit to the
16-12 State Board of Education a report on the status of the audit. The
16-13 report must include a summary of the costs of the audit, current
16-14 audit activity, a schedule of future activity, audit
16-15 recommendations and results, pending refunds, and recovered
16-16 refunds. The State Board of Education shall submit a summary of
16-17 the report to the governor, Legislative Budget Board, and
16-18 comptroller. Not later than the 30th day after the date an audit
16-19 is completed, the school district shall submit to the State Board
16-20 of Education a report on the savings resulting from the audit,
16-21 including their source, and the costs of the audit. The State
16-22 Board of Education shall submit a copy of this report to the
16-23 governor, Legislative Budget Board, and comptroller.
16-24 SECTION 19. The attorney general, the Public Utility
16-25 Commission of Texas, and the Railroad Commission of Texas shall
16-26 develop and maintain systems to publicly monitor and verify state
16-27 agency rates regulated by each of those commissions. The systems
17-1 must provide for easy acquisition of information in a format that
17-2 is easy to understand, subject to the protections provided by the
17-3 open records law, Chapter 424, Acts of the 63rd Legislature,
17-4 Regular Session, 1973 (Article 6252-17a, Vernon's Texas Civil
17-5 Statutes). Before February 1, 1995, each commission shall submit a
17-6 report to the speaker of the house of representatives and the
17-7 lieutenant governor.
17-8 SECTION 20. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
17-9 SECTION 21. The importance of this legislation and the
17-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
17-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
17-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
17-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
17-14 and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its
17-15 terms, and it is so enacted.