1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the hotel occupancy tax revenue of certain counties

 1-3     that border the Gulf of Mexico.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 352.1033, Tax Code, is amended to read as

 1-6     follows:

 1-7           Sec. 352.1033.  USE OF REVENUE;  COUNTIES BORDERING THE GULF

 1-8     OF MEXICO.  (a) The revenue from a tax imposed under this chapter

 1-9     by a county that borders the Gulf of Mexico authorized to impose

1-10     the tax by Section 352.002(a)(6) may be used only to:

1-11                 (1)  clean public beaches;

1-12                 (2)  acquire, furnish, or maintain facilities,

1-13     including parks, that enhance public access to beaches;

1-14                 (3)  provide and maintain public restrooms on or

1-15     adjacent to beaches or beach access facilities;

1-16                 (4)  provide and maintain litter containers on or

1-17     adjacent to beaches or beach access facilities; [and]

1-18                 (5)  create, renovate, promote, and maintain parks

1-19     adjacent to bays, rivers, and other navigable waterways if the

1-20     county does not operate a public beach on the Gulf of Mexico; and

1-21                 (6)  advertise and conduct solicitations and

1-22     promotional programs to attract tourists and convention delegates

1-23     or registrants to the county or its vicinity, any of which may be

 2-1     conducted by the county or through contracts with persons or

 2-2     organizations selected by the county.

 2-3           (b)  A county that borders the Gulf of Mexico and that is

 2-4     authorized to impose the tax by Section 352.002(a)(6) may use 50

 2-5     percent or less of the revenue from the tax for the promotion of

 2-6     tourism.

 2-7           SECTION 2.  This Act applies only to revenue from the hotel

 2-8     occupancy tax imposed under Chapter 352, Tax Code, sent or paid to

 2-9     a county.

2-10           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-11     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-12     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-13     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-14     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

2-15     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

2-16     passage, and it is so enacted.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 463 was passed by the House on April

         18, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2 present, not

         voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.

         No. 463 on May 14, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 138, Nays 0,

         1 present, not voting.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 463 was passed by the Senate, with

         amendments, on May 12, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays

         0.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor