1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the liability of certain persons concerning abandoned

 1-3     property.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 74.705, Property Code, is amended by

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

 1-7           (f)  In this section, "person" does not include a local

 1-8     governmental entity or an officer or employee of a local

 1-9     governmental entity who is performing the officer's or employee's

1-10     official duties for the local governmental entity.

1-11           SECTION 2.  (a)  Section 74.705(f), Property Code, as added

1-12     by this Act, applies to any suit or complaint brought against a

1-13     local governmental entity or any of its officers or employees after

1-14     the effective date of this Act, regardless of the date that any

1-15     element of the claim forming the basis of the suit or complaint was

1-16     committed.

1-17           (b)  Section 74.705(f), Property Code, as added by this Act,

1-18     does not apply to an offense committed before the effective date of

1-19     this Act.  For purposes of this section, an offense is committed

1-20     before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense

1-21     occurs before that date.

1-22           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-23           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-1     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

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

 2-3     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. 2271 was passed by the House on April

         18, 1997, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in

         Senate amendments to H.B. No. 2271 on May 25, 1997, by a non-record

         vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 2271 was passed by the Senate, with

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

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor