By Madden                                             H.B. No. 2971

         75R8496 DRH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the meaning of a relationship involving marriage for

 1-3     purposes of laws governing the conduct of an election.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 1, Election Code, is amended by adding

 1-6     Section 1.017 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 1.017.  RELATIONSHIP INVOLVING INFORMAL MARRIAGE.  For

 1-8     purposes of this code and any other law of this state relating to

 1-9     the conduct of an election, a relationship involving marriage

1-10     includes an informal marriage described by Section 1.91, Family

1-11     Code.

1-12           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-13     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-14     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-15     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-16     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-17     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-18     passage, and it is so enacted.