By Williamson                                   H.B. No. 2537

      75R8706 DAK-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to prohibiting certain private organizations from refusing

 1-3     to permit a child to participate in an organization activity

 1-4     because of the child's residence.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Title 6, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is

 1-7     amended by adding Chapter 147 to read as follows:

 1-8           CHAPTER 147.  RESTRICTION BASED ON RESIDENCE BY CERTAIN

 1-9                            PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS

1-10           Sec. 147.001.  APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER.  This chapter

1-11     applies only to a private national, state, or local organization

1-12     that enjoys a federal or state tax exemption or is taxed at a

1-13     reduced rate under either federal or state law, including a

1-14     nonprofit or charitable status.

1-15           Sec. 147.002.  RESTRICTION BASED ON RESIDENCE PROHIBITED.  An

1-16     organization to which this chapter applies that divides its

1-17     membership or participants into regions, districts, or other

1-18     geographic units based on the location of the residence of its

1-19     members or participants may not restrict a person younger than 19

1-20     years of age from participating in an organization activity because

1-21     of the location of the person's residence.

1-22           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-23           SECTION 3.  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.