By Goolsby H.B. No. 1156 75R4838 DLF-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to parental consent to body piercing; imposing a criminal 1-3 penalty. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 161, Health and Safety Code, is amended 1-6 by adding Subchapter G to read as follows: 1-7 SUBCHAPTER G. BODY PIERCING 1-8 Sec. 161.071. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: 1-9 (1) "Body piercing" means the creation of an opening 1-10 in an individual's body to insert jewelry or another decoration. 1-11 (2) "Minor" means a person younger than 18 years of 1-12 age who has not had the disabilities of minority removed for 1-13 general purposes. 1-14 Sec. 161.072. PARENTAL CONSENT REQUIRED. (a) A person may 1-15 not perform body piercing on a minor without the written and 1-16 notarized consent of a parent, managing conservator, or guardian of 1-17 the minor. 1-18 (b) The written consent must indicate the part of the 1-19 minor's body that may be pierced. 1-20 Sec. 161.073. CRIMINAL PENALTY; EXCEPTION. (a) A person 1-21 commits an offense if the person violates Section 161.072. An 1-22 offense under this subsection is a Class C misdemeanor. 1-23 (b) It is an exception to the application of this section 1-24 that the part of the minor's body that is pierced is the minor's 2-1 ear. 2-2 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-3 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-4 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-5 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-6 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-7 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.