1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the tax rate of the Sutton County Hospital District.

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

 1-4           SECTION 1.   Sections 7.05(a) and (c), Chapter 1047, Acts of

 1-5     the 68th Legislature, Regular Session, 1983, are amended to read as

 1-6     follows:

 1-7           (a)  The board may order an election on the question of

 1-8     increasing the district's maximum tax rate to 35 [20] cents on each

 1-9     $100 of valuation on all taxable property in the district.  The

1-10     board shall order an election on this question if the board

1-11     receives a petition requesting an election that is signed by at

1-12     least 15 percent of the registered voters in the district.

1-13           (c)  The ballot for the election shall be printed to permit

1-14     voting for or against the proposition:  "The levy of annual taxes

1-15     by the district for hospital purposes at a rate not to exceed 35

1-16     [20] cents on the $100 valuation of all taxable property in the

1-17     district."  The election shall be held in accordance with the

1-18     applicable provisions of the Election Code.

1-19           SECTION 2.   The importance of this legislation and the

1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-24     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-1     passage, and it is so enacted.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 826 was passed by the House on April

         25, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 826 was passed by the Senate on May

         26, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor