1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to establishing Internet electronic mail addresses for

 1-3     state agencies.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 2054, Government Code, is

 1-6     amended by adding Section 2054.120 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 2054.120.  ELECTRONIC MAIL ADDRESS.  (a)  A state agency

 1-8     shall establish an Internet electronic mail address for the agency.

 1-9     The state agency may publish the electronic mail address and use

1-10     electronic mail to communicate with the public.  The state agency

1-11     may consult with the Department of Information Resources to

1-12     establish its electronic mail address.

1-13           (b)  In this section, "Internet" means the largest

1-14     nonproprietary nonprofit cooperative public computer network,

1-15     popularly known as the Internet.

1-16           SECTION 2.  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,

1-21     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-22     passage, and it is so enacted.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 1556 was passed by the House on April

         25, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 0, 3 present, not

         voting.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 1556 was passed by the Senate on May

         19, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor