By Wilson                                               H.B. No. 61
       74R1873 CAG-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the number and composition of precincts from which
    1-3  county commissioners are elected in Harris County.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 81, Local Government Code, is amended by
    1-6  adding Subchapter D to read as follows:
    1-7        SUBCHAPTER D.  COMMISSIONERS PRECINCTS IN HARRIS COUNTY
    1-8        Sec. 81.061.  NUMBER OF PRECINCTS AND ELECTION OF
    1-9  COMMISSIONERS.  (a)  Harris County is divided into eight
   1-10  commissioners precincts, with one commissioner elected from each
   1-11  precinct.
   1-12        (b)  The commissioners for Precincts Two, Four, Six, and
   1-13  Eight are elected in each year in which commissioners are to be
   1-14  elected for Precincts Two and Four in other counties under Article
   1-15  XVI, Section 65, of the Texas Constitution.  The commissioners for
   1-16  Precincts One, Three, Five, and Seven are elected in each year in
   1-17  which commissioners are to be elected for Precincts One and Three
   1-18  in other counties under Article XVI, Section 65, of the Texas
   1-19  Constitution.
   1-20        (c)  All eight commissioners shall be elected at the general
   1-21  election in 1996 for terms to begin January 1, 1997.  On January 1,
   1-22  1997, the terms of all commissioners serving before that date
   1-23  expire.  To establish staggered terms for commissioners, the
   1-24  commissioners elected in 1996 for Precincts Two, Four, Six, and
    2-1  Eight serve two-year terms expiring January 1, 1999.  This
    2-2  subsection expires January 1, 2000.
    2-3        Sec. 81.062.  COMPOSITION OF PRECINCTS.  (a)  Precinct One is
    2-4  composed of the eastern half of Precinct One as it existed on
    2-5  January 1, 1995.
    2-6        (b)  Precinct Two is composed of the eastern half of Precinct
    2-7  Two as it existed on January 1, 1995.
    2-8        (c)  Precinct Three is composed of the eastern half of
    2-9  Precinct Three as it existed on January 1, 1995.
   2-10        (d)  Precinct Four is composed of the eastern half of
   2-11  Precinct Four as it existed on January 1, 1995.
   2-12        (e)  Precinct Five is composed of the western half of
   2-13  Precinct One as it existed on January 1, 1995.
   2-14        (f)  Precinct Six is composed of the western half of Precinct
   2-15  Two as it existed on January 1, 1995.
   2-16        (g)  Precinct Seven is composed of the western half of
   2-17  Precinct Three as it existed on January 1, 1995.
   2-18        (h)  Precinct Eight is composed of the western half of
   2-19  Precinct Four as it existed on January 1, 1995.
   2-20        SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect only if the
   2-21  constitutional amendment proposed by the 74th Legislature, Regular
   2-22  Session, 1995, to authorize the legislature to establish the number
   2-23  of county commissioners and to establish commissioners precincts in
   2-24  Harris County is approved by the voters.  If that proposed
   2-25  constitutional amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act
   2-26  has no effect.
   2-27        (b)  This Act applies only to the election of county
    3-1  commissioners in Harris County beginning with the general election
    3-2  in 1996.  This Act does not affect the membership of the
    3-3  commissioners court or the composition of commissioners precincts
    3-4  before January 1, 1997.
    3-5        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    3-6  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    3-7  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    3-8  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    3-9  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.