1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to continuing education requirements for county

 1-3     commissioners.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 81.0025, Local Government Code, is

 1-6     amended by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:

 1-7           (f)  In addition to the exceptions under Subsection (e), this

 1-8     section does not apply to a county commissioner who serves in a

 1-9     county with a population of 225,000 or more and who:

1-10                 (1)  has served continuously for 12 years or more; and

1-11                 (2)  in the 12-month period, completes at least three

1-12     semester credit hours of graduate-level course work in a field of

1-13     study directly related to county government with a grade of B or

1-14     higher in each course completed during the period.

1-15           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 1998.

1-16           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-17     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-18     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-19     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-20     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 1294 was passed by the House on April

         25, 1997, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in

         Senate amendments to H.B. No. 1294 on May 25, 1997, by a non-record

         vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 1294 was passed by the Senate, with

         amendments, on May 23, 1997, by a viva-voce vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor