By:  West                                              S.B. No. 798
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to a referendum on legalizing the carrying of concealed
    1-2  handguns.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  REFERENDUM ON THE CARRYING OF CONCEALED HANDGUNS.
    1-5  At a general election to be held on November 7, 1995, the voters
    1-6  shall be permitted to vote in a referendum on the question of
    1-7  whether the state should legalize the carrying of concealed
    1-8  handguns.
    1-9        SECTION 2.  BALLOT PROPOSITION.  The ballot shall be printed
   1-10  to permit voting for or against the proposition:  "Legalizing the
   1-11  carrying of concealed handguns."
   1-12        SECTION 3.  FORM OF BALLOT.  The proposition shall be printed
   1-13  on the ballot beneath any proposed constitutional amendments under
   1-14  the heading:  "Referendum Proposition."
   1-15        SECTION 4.  ELECTION PROCEDURE.  (a)  Notice of the election
   1-16  shall be given by inclusion of the proposition in the proclamation
   1-17  by the governor ordering the election on the proposed amendments to
   1-18  the state constitution, if any, and in the notice of that election
   1-19  given by each county judge.  If proposed amendments to the state
   1-20  constitution are not to be voted on in conjunction with the
   1-21  referendum, notice of the election shall be given and the election
   1-22  shall be held in the manner applicable to a constitutional
   1-23  amendment election.
    2-1        (b)  The secretary of state shall prepare a brief explanatory
    2-2  statement of the nature of the referendum proposition and submit
    2-3  the statement to the attorney general for approval.  The secretary
    2-4  of state shall publish the approved explanatory statement, together
    2-5  with the date of the election and the wording of the ballot
    2-6  proposition as provided by Section 2 of this Act, twice in each
    2-7  newspaper in this state that meets the requirements prescribed by
    2-8  law for the publication of official notices of officers and
    2-9  departments of the state government.  The first notice must be
   2-10  published not more than 60 days nor less than 50 days before
   2-11  November 7, 1995, and the second notice must be published on the
   2-12  same day in the succeeding week.  Subchapter B, Chapter 274,
   2-13  Election Code, applies to the publication of the notice required by
   2-14  this subsection.
   2-15        (c)  Returns of the votes cast on the proposition shall be
   2-16  made and canvassed in the same manner as the returns on proposed
   2-17  constitutional amendments.
   2-18        (d)  Immediately after the results of the election are
   2-19  certified by the governor, the secretary of state shall transmit a
   2-20  copy of the certification to the lieutenant governor and the
   2-21  speaker of the house of representatives.
   2-22        SECTION 5.  EMERGENCY.  The importance of this legislation
   2-23  and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-24  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-25  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    3-1  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    3-2  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    3-3  passage, and it is so enacted.