By Cain                                                S.B. No. 714
       74R5997 CAG-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to national fraternal organizations exempt from certain
    1-3  requirements of the Alcoholic Beverage Code.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 32.11(a)(1), Alcoholic Beverage Code, is
    1-6  amended to read as follows:
    1-7        (a)  In this section:
    1-8              (1)  "Fraternal organization" means:
    1-9                    (A)  any chapter, aerie, parlor, lodge, or other
   1-10  local unit of an American national fraternal organization or Texas
   1-11  state fraternal organization that, as the owner, lessee, or
   1-12  occupant, has operated an establishment for fraternal purposes for
   1-13  at least one year.  If an American national fraternal organization,
   1-14  it must actively operate in not fewer than 31 states and have at
   1-15  least 300 local units in those 31 states, and must have been in
   1-16  active, continuous existence for at least 20 years.  If a Texas
   1-17  state fraternal organization, it must actively operate in at least
   1-18  two counties of the state and have at least 10 local units in those
   1-19  two counties, and must have been in active, continuous existence
   1-20  for at least five years;
   1-21                    (B)  a hall association or building association
   1-22  of a local unit described in Paragraph (A), all the capital stock
   1-23  of which is owned by the local unit or the members of the local
   1-24  unit, and which operates the clubroom facilities of the local unit;
    2-1  <or>
    2-2                    (C)  a building association not owned by a local
    2-3  unit described in Paragraph (A) but one that is composed wholly of
    2-4  members appointed by a county commissioners court to administer,
    2-5  manage, and control an exposition center containing an exhibition
    2-6  area of not less than 100,000 square feet and an arena with not
    2-7  less than 6,000 fixed seats, situated on property with an area of
    2-8  not less than 50 acres that is owned, together with all buildings,
    2-9  appurtenances, and parking areas, by a county; or
   2-10                    (D)  a chapter or other local unit of an American
   2-11  national fraternal organization that promotes physical fitness and
   2-12  provides classes in athletics to children and that, as owner,
   2-13  lessee, or occupant, has operated an establishment for fraternal
   2-14  purposes for at least one year. The fraternal organization must:
   2-15                          (i)  actively operate in not fewer than 20
   2-16  states;
   2-17                          (ii)  have at least six local units in this
   2-18  state; and
   2-19                          (iii)  have at least one unit in this state
   2-20  that has been in active, continuous existence for at least 75
   2-21  years.
   2-22        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   2-23        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-24  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-25  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-26  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-27  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.