By Berlanga, Hunter of Nueces H.B. No. 3229 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3229: By Turner of Coleman C.S.H.B. No. 3229 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the establishment of the line of vegetation along the 1-3 Gulf of Mexico where a natural vegetation line does not exist. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 61.017, Natural Resources Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: 1-7 (c)(1) In an area of public beach where a seawall structure 1-8 constructed in its entirety as a single structure of one design 1-9 before 1970 and continuously maintained with a height of not less 1-10 than 11 feet above mean low tide interrupts the natural line of 1-11 vegetation for a distance not less than 4,000 feet nor greater than 1-12 4,500 feet, the line of vegetation is along the seaward side of the 1-13 seawall for the distance marked by the seawall provided that prior 1-14 to December 31, 1996: 1-15 (A) a perpetual easement has been granted in 1-16 favor of the public affording pedestrian, non-commercial use along 1-17 and over the entire length of the seawall and adjacent sidewalk by 1-18 the general public; 1-19 (B) Fee title to the surface estate to an area 1-20 for public parking and other public uses adjacent to the seawall 1-21 has been conveyed to and accepted by a public entity, which area 1-22 contains sufficient acreage to provide at least one parking space 1-23 for each 15 linear feet of the seawall, is located within the 2-1 center one-third of the length of the seawall, and has frontage on 2-2 the seawall for at least 300 linear feet; and 2-3 (C) permanent roadway easements exist within 2-4 1,000 feet of each end of the seawall affording vehicular access 2-5 from the nearest public road to the beach. 2-6 (2) A line of vegetation established as described in 2-7 this subsection shall be the landward boundary of the public beach 2-8 and of the public easement for all purposes. Fee title to all 2-9 submerged land as described in this code shall remain in the State 2-10 of Texas. 2-11 SECTION 2. The change in law made by Subsection (c), Section 2-12 61.017, Natural Resources Code, as added by this Act, establishes 2-13 the landward boundary of the public beach and of the public 2-14 easement in any instance in which the circumstances described in 2-15 Subsection (c), Section 61.017, Natural Resources Code, as added by 2-16 this Act, including the dedication of the public easement and the 2-17 conveyance of the public parking and use area, are completed prior 2-18 to December 31, 1996. Any court judgment in effect prior to the 2-19 effective date of this Act regarding circumstances described in 2-20 Subsection (c), Section 61.017, Natural Resources Code, is modified 2-21 by that section to the extent that the judgment is in conflict with 2-22 that section. 2-23 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 2-24 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-1 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-2 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-3 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.