By Turner of Harris                                   H.B. No. 1900
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to routine purchases and contracts made by a port
    1-3  commission.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 60.403, Water Code, is amended to read as
    1-6  follows:
    1-7        Sec. 60.403.  Contracts:  Purchases.  A port commission or
    1-8  authorized designated officer of the port commission may make
    1-9  routine purchases or contracts in an amount not to exceed $25,000
   1-10  <$10,000>.  Before a purchase is made, a purchase order must be
   1-11  signed by the executive director of the district or the port
   1-12  authority or the authorized designated officer.  The purchase order
   1-13  must be executed in duplicate with one copy delivered to the person
   1-14  from whom the purchase is made and one copy remaining on file in
   1-15  the district or port authority.
   1-16        SECTION 2.  Subsection (a), Section 60.404, Water Code, is
   1-17  amended to read as follows:
   1-18        (a)  If the materials, supplies, machinery, equipment, or
   1-19  other items to be purchased or contracted for exceed $25,000
   1-20  <$15,000>, notice shall be published as provided by this section.
   1-21        SECTION 3.  Subsection (a), Section 60.406, Water Code, is
   1-22  amended to read as follows:
   1-23        (a)  Before a district or port authority may purchase one or
    2-1  more items under a contract that will require an expenditure of
    2-2  more than $25,000 <$15,000>, the port commission of that district
    2-3  or port authority must comply with the competitive bidding
    2-4  requirements or proposal procedures provided by Sections 60.404 and
    2-5  60.405 of this code.  All bids must be sealed.
    2-6        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-7  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-8  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-9  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-10  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   2-11  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   2-12  passage, and it is so enacted.