H.B. No. 344
    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.