By Alexander                                          H.B. No. 2589
       74R115 JMM-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the prohibition of certain acts by a locksmith;
    1-3  providing a penalty.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS.  In this Act:
    1-6        (1)  "Key" includes a copy of a key and the directions for
    1-7  making a key.
    1-8        (2)  "Locksmith" means a person who, for compensation,
    1-9  installs, repairs, replaces, rebuilds, rearranges, or adjusts a
   1-10  lock or the mechanical parts of a lock.  The term includes a person
   1-11  engaged in the adjustment of a lock in a safe, vault, or vehicle or
   1-12  in the installation of a lock in a building under construction.
   1-13        SECTION 2.  MAINTAINING COPY OF KEY PROHIBITED.  (a)  Except
   1-14  as provided by Subsection (b), a locksmith may not maintain or give
   1-15  to another person a key made or copied by the locksmith.
   1-16        (b)  This section does not apply to a key given to:
   1-17              (1)  the person or an agent of the person for whom the
   1-18  key was made; or
   1-19              (2)  the owner of the building in which the lock opened
   1-20  by the key is located.
   1-21        SECTION 3.  OFFENSE; PENALTY.  (a)  A person commits an
   1-22  offense if the person violates this Act.
   1-23        (b)  An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
   1-24        SECTION 4.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect September
    2-1  1, 1995.
    2-2        SECTION 5.  EMERGENCY.  The importance of this legislation
    2-3  and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-4  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-5  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-6  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.