1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the curation of artifacts and other items in the

 1-3     custody of the Texas Historical Commission.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  The heading to Section 191.058, Natural Resources

 1-6     Code, is amended to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 191.058.  CURATION [DISPLAY] OF ARTIFACTS.

 1-8           SECTION 2.  Section 191.058, Natural Resources Code, is

 1-9     amended by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:

1-10           (d)  The committee may contract with a qualified institution

1-11     for the institution to serve as a repository for artifacts and

1-12     other items in the custody of the committee.  The Corpus Christi

1-13     Museum of Science and History is the repository for marine

1-14     artifacts.  The committee may contract with other qualified

1-15     institutions to serve as additional repositories for marine

1-16     artifacts.  The committee may authorize an archeological repository

1-17     to loan artifacts and other items curated by the repository to a

1-18     qualified institution for public display.  The Corpus Christi

1-19     Museum of Science and History:

1-20                 (1)  does not own the artifacts for which it serves as

1-21     a repository; and

1-22                 (2)  shall make available for loan to a qualified

1-23     institution for display the marine artifacts for which it serves as

1-24     a repository.

 2-1           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

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

 2-3     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-4     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-5     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 2-6     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-7     passage, and it is so enacted.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 2848 was passed by the House on April

         25, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 0, 3 present, not

         voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.

         No. 2848 on May 21, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 0,

         1 present, not voting.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 2848 was passed by the Senate, with

         amendments, on May 19, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays

         0.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor