75R9151 PAM-F                           

         By Hodge                                              H.B. No. 2920

         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2920:

         By Lewis of Tarrant                               C.S.H.B. No. 2920

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the operation of museums and historic sites in certain

 1-3     counties by nonprofit organizations.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 316, Local Government Code,

 1-6     is amended by adding Section 316.022 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 316.022.  MUSEUMS AND HISTORIC SITES IN CERTAIN COUNTIES

 1-8     OPERATED BY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.  (a)  The commissioners court

 1-9     of a county with a population of 1,200,000 or more may enter into a

1-10     contract with a nonprofit organization authorizing the nonprofit

1-11     organization to:

1-12                 (1)  manage and operate a museum, historical site,

1-13     historical building, or similar building or site in the county; and

1-14                 (2)  charge and collect a fee from the general public

1-15     for admission to the museum, historical site, historical building,

1-16     or similar building or site if the nonprofit organization is not

1-17     obligated to the county for capital improvements to the museum,

1-18     historical site, historical building, or similar building or site.

1-19           (b)  The commissioners court by order shall set the admission

1-20     fee authorized by the contract.

1-21           (c)  The funds generated by the admission fees are not

1-22     required to be deposited in the county treasury.

1-23           (d)  The nonprofit organization may spend funds generated by

1-24     the admission fees for the payment of costs associated with the

 2-1     administration, maintenance, security, or staffing necessary to

 2-2     operate the building or site as approved by the commissioners court

 2-3     and provided by the contract.  The funds may not be spent for

 2-4     purposes other than those associated with the building or site.

 2-5           (e)  In this section, "nonprofit organization" means a

 2-6     private, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization described by Section

 2-7     501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. Section

 2-8     501(c)(3)), as amended.

 2-9           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-10           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-11     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-12     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-13     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-14     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.