1-1     By:  Denny (Senate Sponsor - Nelson)                   H.B. No. 254

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 21, 1997;

 1-3     April 22, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on State

 1-4     Affairs; May 6, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:

 1-5     Yeas 13, Nays 0; May 6, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to allowing the placement of directional signs for small

 1-9     businesses along certain highways.

1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-11           SECTION 1.  Section 394.003, Transportation Code, is amended

1-12     by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:

1-13           (c)  This chapter does not apply to a directional sign for a

1-14     small business, as defined by Section 2006.011, Government Code, if

1-15     the sign:

1-16                 (1)  is on private property; and

1-17                 (2)  has a surface area not larger than 50 square feet.

1-18           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-19     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-20     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-21     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-22     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-23     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-24     passage, and it is so enacted.

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