By:  Cain                                              S.B. No. 714
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to national fraternal organizations exempt from certain
    1-2  requirements of the Alcoholic Beverage Code.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Subdivision (1), Subsection (a), Section 32.11,
    1-5  Alcoholic Beverage Code, is amended to read as follows:
    1-6              (1)  "Fraternal organization" means:
    1-7                    (A)  any chapter, aerie, parlor, lodge, or other
    1-8  local unit of an American national fraternal organization or Texas
    1-9  state fraternal organization that, as the owner, lessee, or
   1-10  occupant, has operated an establishment for fraternal purposes for
   1-11  at least one year.  If an American national fraternal organization,
   1-12  it must actively operate in not fewer than 31 states and have at
   1-13  least 300 local units in those 31 states, and must have been in
   1-14  active, continuous existence for at least 20 years.  If a Texas
   1-15  state fraternal organization, it must actively operate in at least
   1-16  two counties of the state and have at least 10 local units in those
   1-17  two counties, and must have been in active, continuous existence
   1-18  for at least five years;
   1-19                    (B)  a hall association or building association
   1-20  of a local unit described in Paragraph (A), all the capital stock
   1-21  of which is owned by the local unit or the members of the local
   1-22  unit, and which operates the clubroom facilities of the local unit;
   1-23  <or>
   1-24                    (C)  a building association not owned by a local
    2-1  unit described in Paragraph (A) but one that is composed wholly of
    2-2  members appointed by a county commissioners court to administer,
    2-3  manage, and control an exposition center containing an exhibition
    2-4  area of not less than 100,000 square feet and an arena with not
    2-5  less than 6,000 fixed seats, situated on property with an area of
    2-6  not less than 50 acres that is owned, together with all buildings,
    2-7  appurtenances, and parking areas, by a county; or
    2-8                    (D)  a chapter or other local unit of an American
    2-9  national fraternal organization that promotes physical fitness and
   2-10  provides classes in athletics to children and that, as owner,
   2-11  lessee, or occupant, has operated an establishment for fraternal
   2-12  purposes for at least one year.  The fraternal organization must:
   2-13                          (i)  actively operate in not fewer than 12
   2-14  states;
   2-15                          (ii)  have at least six local units in this
   2-16  state; and
   2-17                          (iii)  have at least one unit in this state
   2-18  that has been in active, continuous existence for at least 75
   2-19  years.
   2-20        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   2-21        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-22  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-23  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-24  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-25  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.