By Junell                                       H.B. No. 2260

      75R7317 MWV-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the collection of certain artifacts in state parks.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Parks and Wildlife

 1-5     Code, is amended by adding Section 13.0155 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 13.0155.  COLLECTION OF STONE ARTIFACTS USER FEE.  (a)

 1-7     The department shall issue a park user permit to an individual to

 1-8     collect American Indian or aboriginal stone artifacts, including

 1-9     spearheads and arrowheads, in a state park.  The commission may

1-10     impose a fee for the permit.

1-11           (b)  The department shall regulate the collection of American

1-12     Indian or aboriginal stone artifacts in a state park as necessary

1-13     to limit the damage, including damage by erosion, caused by

1-14     collection of the artifacts.  The department may limit the number

1-15     of permits issued under this section and may limit access to

1-16     certain parks or certain areas of parks as necessary to prevent

1-17     damage to a park or to promote public safety.

1-18           (c)  The department shall deposit any revenue received from

1-19     the user fees authorized by this section in the same manner as

1-20     provided for the deposit of user fees under Section 13.015.

1-21           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and

1-22     applies only to the collection of an artifact on or after January

1-23     1, 1998.  The collection of an artifact before January 1, 1998, is

1-24     governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective

 2-1     date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that

 2-2     purpose.

 2-3           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-4     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-5     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-6     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-7     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.