By Driver, Naishtat                                    H.B. No. 238
       74R1812 MLR-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to support dogs for persons with disabilities.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Section 121.003(k), Human Resources Code, is
    1-5  amended to read as follows:
    1-6        (k)  A support dog <guide> in training shall not be denied
    1-7  admittance to any public facility when accompanied by an approved
    1-8  trainer who is an agent of an organization generally recognized by
    1-9  agencies involved in the rehabilitation of persons with
   1-10  disabilities <the blind> as reputable and competent to provide
   1-11  training for support <of such> dogs<, and/or their blind handlers>.
   1-12        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.  The
   1-13  change in law made by Section 121.003(k), Human Resources Code, as
   1-14  amended by this Act, applies only to the denial of admission of a
   1-15  support dog to a public facility on or after that date.  The denial
   1-16  of admission of a support dog to a public facility before September
   1-17  1, 1995, is governed by the law as it existed immediately before
   1-18  the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect
   1-19  for that purpose.
   1-20        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-21  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-22  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-23  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-24  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.