75R10694 GJH-D                           

         By Merritt                                            H.B. No. 1523

         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1523:

         By Merritt                                        C.S.H.B. No. 1523

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the fee for a fishing license for individuals with

 1-3     certain mental impairments.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 46.004, Parks and Wildlife Code, is

 1-6     amended to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 46.004.  LICENSE FEES.  (a)  The resident fishing

 1-8     license fee is $8 or an amount set by the commission, whichever

 1-9     amount is more.

1-10           (b)  The commission may establish a lower fee or waive the

1-11     fee or license requirement for:

1-12                 (1)  a resident who has a general commercial

1-13     fisherman's license of this state;

1-14                 (2)  a resident who is blind as defined by Section

1-15     94.001, Human Resources Code;

1-16                 (3)  a resident who is a qualified disabled veteran as

1-17     defined by Section 42.012(c) of this code;

1-18                 (4)  a resident or nonresident who is under 17 years

1-19     old; [or]

1-20                 (5)  a resident or nonresident who is 65 years old or

1-21     over; or

1-22                 (6)  a resident who has a mental or physical impairment

1-23     that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities

1-24     of the resident.

 2-1           (c)  The commission by rule shall define "mental or physical

 2-2     impairment that substantially limits one or more major life

 2-3     activities" for purposes of Subsection (b).

 2-4           (d)  The department may issue a lifetime resident fishing

 2-5     license to residents of this state.  The fee for this license is

 2-6     $300 or an amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more.

 2-7           (e) [(d)]  The nonresident fishing license fee is $15 or an

 2-8     amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more.

 2-9           (f) [(e)]  The commission may establish collection and

2-10     issuance fees for licenses and tags issued under this chapter.

2-11           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-12     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-13     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-14     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-15     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

2-16     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

2-17     passage, and it is so enacted.