75R13725 DWS-F                           

         By Keel, Hilderbran, Kubiak                           H.B. No. 2230

         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2230:

         By Heflin                                         C.S.H.B. No. 2230

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the sales and use tax in certain metropolitan transit

 1-3     authorities.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter I, Chapter 451, Transportation Code,

 1-6     is amended by adding Section 451.4051 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 451.4051.  TAX RATE IN CERTAIN AUTHORITIES.  (a)  This

 1-8     section applies only to an authority in which the board has lowered

 1-9     the tax rate from the maximum permissible amount and subsequently

1-10     raised the tax rate back to the maximum permissible amount.

1-11           (b)  If on September 1, 1997, an authority to which this

1-12     section applies has in effect a sales and use tax of three-quarters

1-13     of one percent or one percent, the tax rate expires on December 1,

1-14     1997, unless the continuation of the rate is approved by a majority

1-15     of the votes recorded at an election called for that purpose on the

1-16     uniform election date in November 1997.

1-17           (c)  The ballots at an election held under this section shall

1-18     be printed to provide for voting for or against the following

1-19     proposition:  "The continuation of the local sales and use tax rate

1-20     of (percentage)."  Sections 451.411-451.413 apply to an election

1-21     under this section as if the election were held to increase or

1-22     decrease the tax rate.

1-23           (d)  If a tax rate expires under this section, the board may

1-24     set the tax rate at one-quarter of one percent or one-half of one

 2-1     percent.

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

 2-3     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-4     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-5     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-6     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 2-7     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-8     passage, and it is so enacted.