By Woolley                                       H.B. No. 520

      75R3692 MI-F                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to menhaden boat licenses.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 47.008, Parks and Wildlife Code, is

 1-5     amended to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 47.008. MENHADEN BOAT LICENSES [LICENSE].  (a) A boat

 1-7     may not be used for the purpose of catching, storing, and

 1-8     transporting  menhaden in tidal water unless the owner of the boat

 1-9     has acquired a Class A menhaden boat license.

1-10           (b)  A boat may not be used for the purpose of assisting in

1-11     catching menhaden in tidal water unless the owner of the boat has

1-12     acquired a Class B menhaden boat license.

1-13           (c)  The license fee for each Class A menhaden boat is $2,000

1-14     or an amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more, for

1-15     each yearly period.

1-16           (d)  The license fee for each Class B menhaden boat is $50 or

1-17     an amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more, for each

1-18     yearly period.

1-19           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-20           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-21     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-22     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-23     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-24     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.