By Elkins H.B. No. 2502 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the venue for prosecution of the offense of failing or 1-3 refusing to pay the toll imposed for the operation of a motor 1-4 vehicle on a toll project of certain counties. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Section 284.070, Transportation Code, is amended 1-7 by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: 1-8 (d) In a county with a population over 2.8 million, an 1-9 offense under this section may be prosecuted in any precinct in the 1-10 county in which the offense was committed. 1-11 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. The 1-12 change in law made by this Act applies only to the prosecution for 1-13 an offense committed on or after September 1, 1997. The 1-14 prosecution of an offense committed before September 1, 1997, is 1-15 covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and 1-16 the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For 1-17 purposes of this section, an offense was committed before September 1-18 1, 1997, if any element of the offense occurred before that date. 1-19 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-20 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.