By Solis                                        H.B. No. 1225

      75R5390 JBN-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the creation of the Arroyo Colorado Wildlife Sanctuary

 1-3     in Cameron and Willacy counties; providing a penalty.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 82, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended

 1-6     by adding Subchapter M to read as follows:

 1-7                   SUBCHAPTER M. ARROYO COLORADO SANCTUARY

 1-8           Sec. 82.741.  CREATION.  All of the land area and water of

 1-9     the state-owned riverbed of the Arroyo Colorado in Cameron and

1-10     Willacy counties from the north bank of the Arroyo Colorado

1-11     Intercoastal Waterway channel northward to the shoreline of the

1-12     Laguna Madre  are declared to be a game sanctuary.

1-13           Sec. 82.742.  PROHIBITED ACTS.  (a)  Except as permitted by

1-14     Subsection (b) of this section, no person may possess, shoot, or

1-15     hunt with a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow in the game

1-16     sanctuary created by Section 82.741 of this code.

1-17           (b)  Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to:

1-18                 (1)  a peace officer of this state, a law enforcement

1-19     officer of the United States, or a member of the armed forces of

1-20     the United States or of this state during the time that the officer

1-21     or member is in the actual discharge of official duties; or

1-22                 (2)  a person who is:

1-23                       (A)  an owner or occupant of land adjoining the

1-24     game sanctuary or a guest or invitee of the owner or occupant; and

 2-1                       (B)  traveling to or from the owned or occupied

 2-2     adjoining land.

 2-3           Sec. 82.743.  PENALTY.  A person who violates Section 82.742

 2-4     of this code commits an offense that is a Class C Parks and

 2-5     Wildlife Code misdemeanor.

 2-6           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.