By Van de Putte H.B. No. 344 74R884 JMM-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the issuance of a commission to certain branch pilots. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Article 8253, Revised Statutes, is amended to 1-5 read as follows: 1-6 Art. 8253. Branch pilot license. All branch pilots 1-7 appointed under and in accordance with this law or the rules and 1-8 regulations of such navigation district shall enter into bond with 1-9 one or more good and sufficient sureties in the sum of five 1-10 thousand dollars, payable to the Governor, conditioned upon the 1-11 faithful performance on any employee which together with any other 1-12 insurance under commissioners of such district, and shall be 1-13 deposited in the office of the Secretary of State. Each pilot 1-14 shall also take the official oath, which shall be endorsed on said 1-15 bond. Upon the filing of said bond, and the taking of said oath, 1-16 the commissioners of such district shall certify to the Governor 1-17 that each branch pilot has duly qualified to act as such, and 1-18 thereupon the Governor shall issue to said branch pilot, in the 1-19 name of the state and under the state seal, a commission to serve 1-20 as branch pilot from such ports, across any intermediate bars, to 1-21 the open gulf; and said commission shall be for a term of four 1-22 years, unless such branch pilot shall be dismissed from service by 1-23 said navigation and canal commissioners, in which event such 1-24 commission shall expire. 2-1 SECTION 2. Section 4.06, Houston Pilots Licensing and 2-2 Regulatory Act (Article 8280a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is 2-3 amended to read as follows: 2-4 Sec. 4.06. Issuance of license. On filing of the bond and 2-5 oath provided by Section 4.09 of this Act, the board shall certify 2-6 to the governor that the branch pilot has duly qualified to act as 2-7 a branch pilot, and on receiving this certification, the governor 2-8 shall issue to the branch pilot, in the name of the state and under 2-9 the state seal, a commission to serve as a branch pilot from the 2-10 ports within the jurisdiction of the board, across intermediate 2-11 bars, to and from the open gulf. 2-12 SECTION 3. Section 4.06(a), Galveston County Pilots 2-13 Licensing and Regulatory Act (Article 8280b, Vernon's Texas Civil 2-14 Statutes), is amended to read as follows: 2-15 (a) On filing of the bond and oath provided by Section 4.09 2-16 of this Act, the board shall certify to the governor that the 2-17 branch pilot has duly qualified to act as a branch pilot, and on 2-18 receiving this certification, the governor shall issue to the 2-19 branch pilot, in the name of the state and under the state seal, a 2-20 commission to serve as a branch pilot from the ports within the 2-21 jurisdiction of the board, across intermediate bars, to and from 2-22 the open gulf. 2-23 SECTION 4. Section 4.06(a), Brazoria County Pilots Licensing 2-24 and Regulatory Act (Article 8280c, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), 2-25 is amended to read as follows: 2-26 (a) On filing of the bond and oath provided by Section 4.09 2-27 of this Act, the board shall certify to the governor that the 3-1 branch pilot has qualified to act as a branch pilot, and on 3-2 receiving this certification, the governor shall issue to the 3-3 branch pilot, in the name of the state and under the state seal, a 3-4 commission to serve as a branch pilot from the ports within the 3-5 jurisdiction of the board, across intermediate bars, to and from 3-6 the open gulf. 3-7 SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act does not 3-8 affect the validity of a commission issued to a branch pilot before 3-9 the effective date of this Act or any act performed by the branch 3-10 pilot under that commission. 3-11 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the 3-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-16 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-17 passage, and it is so enacted.