By Lucio S.B. No. 1459
74R6568 DWS-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to enterprise zones.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. (a) Subchapter B, Chapter 2303, Government Code,
1-5 is amended to conform to Section 25, Chapter 986, Acts of the 73rd
1-6 Legislature, Regular Session, 1993, by adding and amending Section
1-7 2303.0525 to read as follows:
1-8 Sec. 2303.0525. COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS. (a) On or before
1-9 December 1 of each even-numbered year, the department shall prepare
1-10 a cost-benefit analysis of the enterprise zone program.
1-11 (b) The department shall submit the analysis to the state
1-12 auditor for review and comment on the methodology and conclusions
1-13 of the analysis.
1-14 (c) Before the regular session of the legislature convenes,
1-15 the state auditor shall submit the analysis and the state auditor's
1-16 comments on the analysis to the governor, the lieutenant governor,
1-17 and the speaker of the house of representatives.
1-18 (b) Section 25, Chapter 986, Acts of the 73rd Legislature,
1-19 Regular Session, 1993, is repealed.
1-20 SECTION 2. Section 2303.101(b), Government Code, is amended
1-21 to read as follows:
1-22 (b) The department may not designate an area as an
1-23 enterprise zone if two <three> enterprise zones are located in the
1-24 jurisdiction of and were nominated as enterprise zones by the
2-1 governing body of the municipality or county nominating the area as
2-2 an enterprise zone.
2-3 SECTION 3. Section 2303.102, Government Code, is amended to
2-4 read as follows:
2-5 Sec. 2303.102. Area of Pervasive Poverty, Unemployment, and
2-6 Economic Distress. (a) An area is an area of pervasive poverty,
2-7 unemployment, and economic distress for the purposes of Section
2-8 2303.101 if:
2-9 (1) the average rate of unemployment in the area
2-10 during the most recent 12-month period for which data are available
2-11 was at least one and one-half times the <local,> state<, or
2-12 national> average for that period; or
2-13 (2) the area had a population loss of at least 12
2-14 <nine> percent during the most recent six-year period or at least
2-15 four <three> percent during the most recent three-year period; and
2-16 (A) the area is a low-income poverty area;
2-17 (B) the area is in a jurisdiction or pocket of
2-18 poverty eligible for urban development action grants under federal
2-19 law, according to the most recent certification available from the
2-20 United States Department of Housing and Urban Development;
2-21 (C) at least 70 percent of the residents or
2-22 households of the area have an income that is less than 80 percent
2-23 of the median income of the residents or households of the locality
2-24 or state, whichever is less; <or>
2-25 (D) the nominating body establishes to the
2-26 satisfaction of the department that:
2-27 (i) chronic abandonment or demolition of
3-1 commercial or residential structures exists in the area;
3-2 (ii) substantial tax arrearages for
3-3 commercial or residential structures exist in the area;
3-4 (iii) substantial losses of businesses or
3-5 jobs have occurred in the area; or
3-6 (iv) the area is part of a disaster area
3-7 declared by the state or federal government during the preceding 18
3-8 months; or
3-9 (E) the attorney general certifies to the
3-10 department that the area has suffered and continues to suffer from
3-11 substantial economic hardship caused by significant and repeated
3-12 criminal activity committed by gang members.
3-13 (b) Labor force and population data are considered current
3-14 if:
3-15 (1) they are the most recently published estimates; or
3-16 (2) the enterprise zone application containing the
3-17 data is received by the department before the 61st day after the
3-18 date revised estimates of that data are published.
3-19 SECTION 4. Section 2303.109(b), Government Code, is amended
3-20 to read as follows:
3-21 (b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), an area designated as a
3-22 federal enterprise zone, federal empowerment zone, or federal
3-23 enterprise community may be designated as an enterprise zone
3-24 without further qualification for longer than seven years but not
3-25 longer than the period permitted by federal law.
3-26 SECTION 5. Section 2303.205(c), Government Code, is amended
3-27 to read as follows:
4-1 (c) The report must include<:>
4-2 <(1)> for the year preceding the date of the report:
4-3 (1) <(A)> a list of local incentives for community
4-4 development available in the zone;
4-5 (2) <(B)> the use of local incentives for which the
4-6 governing body provided in the ordinance or order nominating the
4-7 enterprise zone and the effect of those incentives on revenue;
4-8 (3) <(C)> the number of businesses assisted, located,
4-9 and retained in the zone since its designation due to the existence
4-10 of the enterprise zone;
4-11 (4) <(D)> a summary of <copy of the report required
4-12 under Section 103, Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. Section
4-13 103), for> all industrial revenue bonds issued to finance projects
4-14 located in the zone; and
4-15 (5) <(E)> a description of all efforts made to attain
4-16 <statement on the attainment of> revitalization goals for the
4-17 zone<; and>
4-18 <(2) for the year preceding the date on which the area
4-19 was designated as an enterprise zone, the number of businesses
4-20 located in the zone>.
4-21 SECTION 6. (a) Subchapter F, Chapter 2303, Government Code,
4-22 is amended to conform to Sections 26 and 27, Chapter 986, Acts of
4-23 the 73rd Legislature, Regular Session, 1993, Sections 1-3, Chapter
4-24 974, Acts of the 73rd Legislature, Regular Session, 1993, and
4-25 Sections 5 and 8, Chapter 231, Acts of the 73rd Legislature,
4-26 Regular Session, 1993, and further amended to read as follows:
4-27 SUBCHAPTER F. QUALIFIED BUSINESSES AND ENTERPRISE PROJECTS
5-1 Sec. 2303.401. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "new
5-2 permanent job" means a new employment position created by a
5-3 qualified business as described by Section 2303.402 that:
5-4 (1) has provided at least 1,820 hours of employment a
5-5 year to a qualified employee; and
5-6 (2) is intended to exist during the period that the
5-7 qualified business is designated as an enterprise project under
5-8 Section 2303.406.
5-9 Sec. 2303.402 <2303.401>. Qualified Business. (a) A person
5-10 is a qualified business if the department, for the purpose of state
5-11 benefits under this chapter, or the governing body of an enterprise
5-12 zone, for the purpose of local benefits, certifies that:
5-13 (1) the person is engaged in or has provided
5-14 substantial commitment to initiate the active conduct of a trade or
5-15 business in the enterprise zone; and
5-16 (2) at least 25 percent of the person's new employees
5-17 in the enterprise zone are:
5-18 (A) residents of any enterprise zone in the
5-19 jurisdiction of the governing body of the enterprise zone; or
5-20 (B) economically disadvantaged individuals.
5-21 (b) The governing body of an enterprise zone may certify a
5-22 franchise or subsidiary of a new or existing business as a
5-23 qualified business if the franchise or subsidiary:
5-24 (1) is located entirely in the enterprise zone; and
5-25 (2) maintains separate books and records of the
5-26 business activity conducted in the zone.
5-27 (c) For the purposes of this section, an economically
6-1 disadvantaged individual is an individual who:
6-2 (1) was unemployed for at least three months before
6-3 obtaining employment with the qualified business;
6-4 (2) receives public assistance benefits, including
6-5 welfare payments or food stamps, based on need and intended to
6-6 alleviate poverty;
6-7 (3) is an economically disadvantaged individual, as
6-8 defined by Section 4(8), Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C.
6-9 Section 1503(8));
6-10 (4) is an individual with handicaps, as defined by 29
6-11 U.S.C. Section 706(8);
6-12 (5) is an inmate, as defined by Section 498.001;
6-13 (6) is entering the workplace after being confined in
6-14 a facility operated by <unit of> the institutional division of the
6-15 Texas Department of Criminal Justice or under contract with the
6-16 Texas Department of Criminal Justice <or a correctional facility
6-17 authorized by Chapter 495>; or
6-18 (7) meets the current low income or moderate income
6-19 limits developed under Section 8, United States Housing Act of 1937
6-20 (42 U.S.C. Section 1437f et seq.).
6-21 Sec. 2303.403 <2303.402>. Prohibition on Qualified Business
6-22 Certification. If the department determines that the governing
6-23 body of an enterprise zone is not complying with this chapter, the
6-24 department shall prohibit the certification of a qualified business
6-25 in the zone until the department determines that the governing body
6-26 is complying with this chapter. The department may not designate
6-27 more than 65 businesses as enterprise projects during any biennium.
7-1 Sec. 2303.404. REQUEST FOR APPLICATION FOR ENTERPRISE
7-2 PROJECT DESIGNATION. (a) A qualified business in an enterprise
7-3 zone described by Subsection (b) may request that the governing
7-4 body of the enterprise zone apply to the department for designation
7-5 of the business as an enterprise project. The request must also be
7-6 made to the enterprise zone's administrative authority, if one
7-7 exists.
7-8 (b) A request may be made under this section only to the
7-9 governing body of an enterprise zone that has:
7-10 (1) an unemployment rate that is at least one and
7-11 one-half times the state average; or
7-12 (2) a population loss of at least:
7-13 (A) 12 percent during the most recent six-year
7-14 period; or
7-15 (B) four percent during the most recent
7-16 three-year period.
7-17 Sec. 2303.405. APPLICATION FOR ENTERPRISE PROJECT
7-18 DESIGNATION. (a) If the governing body of an enterprise zone or
7-19 the governing body and administrative authority of an enterprise
7-20 zone, as appropriate, approve a request made under Section
7-21 2303.404, the governing body may apply to the department for the
7-22 designation of the qualified business as an enterprise project.
7-23 (b) An application must:
7-24 (1) describe completely the conditions in the
7-25 enterprise zone that constitute pervasive poverty, unemployment,
7-26 and economic distress for purposes of Section 2303.101;
7-27 (2) describe the procedures and efforts of the
8-1 governmental entity or entities that applied to have the area
8-2 designated as an enterprise zone to facilitate and encourage
8-3 participation by and negotiation among all affected entities in the
8-4 zone in which the qualified business is located;
8-5 (3) contain an economic analysis of the plans of the
8-6 qualified business for expansion, revitalization, or other activity
8-7 in the enterprise zone, including:
8-8 (A) the number of anticipated new permanent jobs
8-9 the business will create;
8-10 (B) the anticipated number of permanent jobs the
8-11 business will retain;
8-12 (C) the amount of investment to be made in the
8-13 zone; and
8-14 (D) other information the department requires;
8-15 and
8-16 (4) describe the local effort made by the governmental
8-17 entity or entities that applied to have the area designated as an
8-18 enterprise zone, the administrative authority, if one exists, the
8-19 qualified business, and other affected entities to develop and
8-20 revitalize the zone.
8-21 (c) For the purposes of this section, local effort to
8-22 develop and revitalize an enterprise zone is:
8-23 (1) the willingness of public entities in the zone to
8-24 provide services, incentives, and regulatory relief authorized by
8-25 this chapter and to negotiate with the qualified business for which
8-26 application is made and with neighborhood enterprise associations
8-27 and other local groups or businesses to achieve the public purposes
9-1 of this chapter; and
9-2 (2) the effort of the qualified business and other
9-3 affected entities to cooperate in achieving those public purposes.
9-4 (d) Factors to be considered in evaluating the local effort
9-5 of a public entity include:
9-6 (1) tax abatement, deferral, refunds, or other tax
9-7 incentives;
9-8 (2) regulatory relief, including:
9-9 (A) zoning changes or variances;
9-10 (B) exemptions from unnecessary building code
9-11 requirements, impact fees, or inspection fees; and
9-12 (C) streamlined permitting;
9-13 (3) enhanced municipal services, including:
9-14 (A) improved police and fire protection;
9-15 (B) institution of community crime prevention
9-16 programs; and
9-17 (C) special public transportation routes or
9-18 reduced fares;
9-19 (4) improvements in community facilities, including:
9-20 (A) capital improvements in water and sewer
9-21 facilities;
9-22 (B) road repair; and
9-23 (C) creation or improvement of parks;
9-24 (5) improvements to housing, including:
9-25 (A) low-interest loans for housing
9-26 rehabilitation, improvement, or new construction; and
9-27 (B) transfer of abandoned housing to individuals
10-1 or community groups;
10-2 (6) business and industrial development services,
10-3 including:
10-4 (A) low-interest loans for business;
10-5 (B) use of surplus school buildings or other
10-6 underutilized publicly owned facilities as small business
10-7 incubators;
10-8 (C) provision of publicly owned land for
10-9 development purposes, including residential, commercial, or
10-10 industrial development;
10-11 (D) creation of special one-stop permitting and
10-12 problem resolution centers or ombudsmen; and
10-13 (E) promotion and marketing services; and
10-14 (7) job training and employment services, including:
10-15 (A) retraining programs;
10-16 (B) literacy and employment skills programs;
10-17 (C) vocational education; and
10-18 (D) customized job training.
10-19 (e) Factors to be considered in evaluating the local effort
10-20 of a private entity include:
10-21 (1) the willingness to negotiate or cooperate in the
10-22 achievement of the purposes of this chapter;
10-23 (2) commitments to hire underskilled, inexperienced,
10-24 disadvantaged, or displaced workers who reside in the enterprise
10-25 zone;
10-26 (3) commitments to hire minority workers and to
10-27 contract with minority-owned businesses; and
11-1 (4) the willingness to make contributions to the
11-2 well-being of the community, such as job training, the donation of
11-3 land for parks or other public purposes, or the provision of child
11-4 care for employees.
11-5 Sec. 2303.406. ENTERPRISE PROJECT DESIGNATION. (a) The
11-6 department may designate a business as an enterprise project only
11-7 if the department determines that:
11-8 (1) the business is a qualified business under Section
11-9 2303.402 that is located in or has made a substantial commitment to
11-10 locate in an enterprise zone described by Section 2303.404(b);
11-11 (2) the governing body of the enterprise zone making
11-12 the application has demonstrated that a high level of cooperation
11-13 exists among public, private, and neighborhood entities in the
11-14 zone; and
11-15 (3) the designation will contribute significantly to
11-16 the achievement of the plans of the governing body making the
11-17 application for development and revitalization of the zone.
11-18 (b) The department shall designate qualified businesses as
11-19 enterprise projects on a competitive basis. The department shall
11-20 make its designation decisions using a weighted scale in which:
11-21 (1) 33-1/3 percent of the evaluation depends on the
11-22 economic distress of the enterprise zone in which a proposed
11-23 enterprise project is located;
11-24 (2) 33-1/3 percent of the evaluation depends on the
11-25 local effort to achieve development and revitalization of the
11-26 enterprise zone; and
11-27 (3) 33-1/3 percent of the evaluation depends on the
12-1 evaluation criteria as determined by the department.
12-2 (c) The designation of an enterprise project is effective
12-3 until the fifth anniversary of the date on which the designation is
12-4 made.
12-5 (d) The department may remove an enterprise project
12-6 designation if it determines that the business is not complying
12-7 with a requirement for its designation.
12-8 Sec. 2303.407. ALLOCATION OF JOBS ELIGIBLE FOR TAX REFUND.
12-9 When the department designates a business as an enterprise project,
12-10 the department shall allocate to the project the maximum number of
12-11 new permanent jobs or retained jobs eligible to be included in a
12-12 computation of a tax refund for the project. The number may not
12-13 exceed 625 or a number equal to 110 percent of the number of
12-14 anticipated new permanent jobs or retained jobs specified in the
12-15 application for designation of the business as an enterprise
12-16 project under Section 2303.405, whichever is less.
12-17 Sec. 2303.408. DURATION OF CERTAIN DESIGNATIONS.
12-18 <Sec. 2303.403. ENTERPRISE PROJECT DESIGNATION. (a) After August
12-19 31, 1993, the department may not designate a business as an
12-20 enterprise project.> The department's designation of a qualified
12-21 business as an enterprise project <before that date> is effective
12-22 until the fifth anniversary of the date on which the designation is
12-23 made regardless of whether the enterprise zone in which the project
12-24 is located expires before the fifth anniversary of the project.
12-25 <(b) The department may remove an enterprise project
12-26 designation if it determines that the business is not complying
12-27 with a requirement for its designation.>
13-1 (b) The following are repealed:
13-2 (1) Sections 26 and 27, Chapter 986, Acts of the 73rd
13-3 Legislature, Regular Session, 1993; and
13-4 (2) Sections 1-3, Chapter 974, Acts of the 73rd
13-5 Legislature, Regular Session, 1993.
13-6 SECTION 7. Section 2303.505(a), Government Code, is amended
13-7 to read as follows:
13-8 (a) To encourage the development of areas designated as
13-9 enterprise zones, the governing body of a municipality through a
13-10 program may refund its local sales and use taxes paid by a
13-11 qualified business on:
13-12 (1) the purchase, lease, or rental of equipment or
13-13 machinery for use in an enterprise zone; <or>
13-14 (2) the purchase of material for use in remodeling,
13-15 rehabilitating, or constructing a structure in an enterprise zone;
13-16 (3) labor for remodeling, rehabilitating, or
13-17 constructing a structure by an enterprise project in an enterprise
13-18 zone; and
13-19 (4) electricity and natural gas purchased for use in
13-20 the enterprise zone.
13-21 SECTION 8. Section 151.429(a), Tax Code, is amended to read
13-22 as follows:
13-23 (a) An enterprise project is eligible for a refund in the
13-24 amount provided by this section of the taxes imposed by this
13-25 chapter on purchases of:
13-26 (1) equipment or machinery sold to an enterprise
13-27 project for use in an enterprise zone; <or>
14-1 (2) building materials sold to an enterprise project
14-2 for use in remodeling, rehabilitating, or constructing a structure
14-3 in an enterprise zone;
14-4 (3) labor for remodeling, rehabilitating, or
14-5 constructing a structure by an enterprise project in an enterprise
14-6 zone; and
14-7 (4) electricity and natural gas purchased for use in
14-8 the enterprise zone.
14-9 SECTION 9. Section 151.429(e), Tax Code, as amended by
14-10 Chapter 231, Acts of the 73rd Legislature, 1993, is amended to read
14-11 as follows:
14-12 (e) In this section, "enterprise project," "enterprise
14-13 zone," <"qualified hotel project,"> "new permanent job," and
14-14 "qualified employee" have the meanings assigned to those terms by
14-15 Section 3, Texas Enterprise Zone Act (Article 5190.7, Vernon's
14-16 Texas Civil Statutes).
14-17 SECTION 10. Section 312.203, Tax Code, is amended to read as
14-18 follows:
14-19 Sec. 312.203. Expiration of Reinvestment Zone. The
14-20 designation of a reinvestment zone for residential or
14-21 commercial-industrial tax abatement expires five years after the
14-22 date of the designation and may be renewed for periods not to
14-23 exceed five years, except that a reinvestment zone that is a state
14-24 enterprise zone is designated for the same period as a state
14-25 enterprise zone as provided by Chapter 2303, Government Code. The
14-26 expiration of the designation does not affect an existing tax
14-27 abatement agreement made under this subchapter.
15-1 SECTION 11. Section 2(10), Development Corporation Act of
15-2 1979 (Article 5190.6, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to
15-3 read as follows:
15-4 (10) "Project" shall mean the land, buildings,
15-5 equipment, facilities, and improvements (one or more) found by the
15-6 board of directors to be required or suitable for the promotion of
15-7 development and expansion of manufacturing and industrial
15-8 facilities, transportation facilities (including but not limited to
15-9 airports, ports, mass commuting facilities, and parking
15-10 facilities), sewage or solid waste disposal facilities, recycling
15-11 facilities, air or water pollution control facilities, facilities
15-12 for the furnishing of water to the general public, distribution
15-13 centers, small warehouse facilities capable of serving as
15-14 decentralized storage and distribution centers, and facilities
15-15 which are related to any of the foregoing, and in furtherance of
15-16 the public purposes of this Act, all as defined in the rules of the
15-17 department, irrespective of whether in existence or required to be
15-18 identified, acquired, or constructed thereafter. As used in this
15-19 Act, the term "development areas" shall mean any area or areas of a
15-20 city that the city finds and determines, after a public hearing,
15-21 should be developed in order to meet the development objectives of
15-22 the city. In addition, in blighted or economically depressed
15-23 areas, development areas, federally designated empowerment zones
15-24 and enterprise communities designated under Section 1391, Internal
15-25 Revenue Code of 1986, or federally assisted new communities located
15-26 within a home-rule city or a federally designated economically
15-27 depressed county of less than 50,000 persons according to the last
16-1 federal decennial census, a project may include the land,
16-2 buildings, equipment, facilities, and improvements (one or more)
16-3 found by the board of directors to be required or suitable for the
16-4 promotion of commercial development and expansion and in
16-5 furtherance of the public purposes of this Act, or for use by
16-6 commercial enterprises, all as defined in the rules of the
16-7 department, irrespective of whether in existence or required to be
16-8 acquired or constructed thereafter. As used in this Act, the term
16-9 blighted or economically depressed areas shall mean those areas and
16-10 areas immediately adjacent thereto within a city which by reason of
16-11 the presence of a substantial number of substandard, slum,
16-12 deteriorated, or deteriorating structures, or which suffer from a
16-13 high relative rate of unemployment, or which have been designated
16-14 and included in a tax incremental district created under Chapter
16-15 695, Acts of the 66th Legislature, Regular Session, 1979 (Article
16-16 1066d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), or any combination of the
16-17 foregoing, the city finds and determines, after a hearing,
16-18 substantially impair or arrest the sound growth of the city, or
16-19 constitute an economic or social liability and are a menace to the
16-20 public health, safety, or welfare in their present condition and
16-21 use. The department shall adopt guidelines that describe the
16-22 kinds of areas that may be considered to be blighted or
16-23 economically depressed. The city shall consider these guidelines
16-24 in making its findings and determinations. Notice of the hearing
16-25 at which the city considers establishment of a development area or
16-26 an economically depressed or blighted area shall be posted at the
16-27 city hall before the hearing.
17-1 "Federally assisted new communities" shall mean those
17-2 federally assisted areas which have received or will receive
17-3 assistance in the form of loan guarantees under Title X of the
17-4 National Housing Act and a portion of the federally assisted area
17-5 has received grants under Section 107(a)(1) of the Housing and
17-6 Community Development Act of 1974, as amended.
17-7 SECTION 12. Section 21, Development Corporation Act of 1979
17-8 (Article 5190.6, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read
17-9 as follows:
17-10 Sec. 21. Every unit is hereby authorized to utilize a
17-11 corporation to issue bonds on its behalf to finance the cost of
17-12 projects, including projects in federally designated empowerment
17-13 zones and enterprise communities or enterprise zones designated
17-14 under the Texas Enterprise Zone Act, to promote and develop new and
17-15 expanded business <industrial and manufacturing> enterprises to
17-16 promote and encourage employment and the public welfare. No unit
17-17 is or shall be authorized to lend its credit or grant any public
17-18 money or thing of value in aid of a corporation. The unit will
17-19 approve all programs and expenditures of the corporation and
17-20 annually review any financial statements of the corporation, and at
17-21 all times the unit will have access to the books and records of the
17-22 corporation.
17-23 SECTION 13. Section 151.429(h), Tax Code, is repealed.
17-24 SECTION 14. (a) Sections 5, 6, 7, and 8, Chapter 231, Acts
17-25 of the 73rd Legislature, 1993, are repealed.
17-26 (b) In an enactment of the 74th Legislature, Regular
17-27 Session, 1995, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and
18-1 corrections in enacted codes, including the nonsubstantive
18-2 codification of various laws omitted from enacted codes, and to
18-3 conforming codifications enacted by the 73rd Legislature to other
18-4 Acts of that legislature, the following provisions have no effect:
18-5 (1) the addition of Subdivision (8), Section 2303.003,
18-6 Government Code, defining "qualified hotel project"; and
18-7 (2) the addition of Section 2303.5055, Government
18-8 Code, relating to refund, rebate, or payment of tax proceeds to a
18-9 qualified hotel project.
18-10 SECTION 15. (a) An enterprise project designated under
18-11 Chapter 2303, Government Code, after August 31, 1995, may not
18-12 receive a tax refund under Section 151.429, Tax Code, as amended by
18-13 this Act, or a tax reduction under Section 171.1015, Tax Code,
18-14 before September 1, 1997.
18-15 (b) Not more than $8 million in state sales and use taxes
18-16 may be refunded to enterprise projects designated during the
18-17 biennium beginning September 1, 1995.
18-18 SECTION 16. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
18-19 SECTION 17. The importance of this legislation and the
18-20 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
18-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
18-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
18-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.