1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the regulation of outdoor advertising in certain dry

 1-3     areas.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 108.56, Alcoholic Beverage Code, is

 1-6     amended to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 108.56.  DRY AREAS.  (a)  Except as provided by

 1-8     Subsection (b), no [No] person may erect or maintain a billboard or

 1-9     electric sign in an area or zone where the sale of alcoholic

1-10     beverages is prohibited by law.

1-11           (b)  A person may erect or maintain a billboard in an area or

1-12     zone where the sale of alcoholic beverages is prohibited by law if:

1-13                 (1)  the premises that the billboard advertises is

1-14     located in a county with a population of 250,000 or less; and

1-15                 (2)  the billboard is within 1,500 feet of the premises

1-16     that the billboard advertises; and

1-17                 (3)  a United States highway that merges into and

1-18     becomes an interstate highway separates the premises and the

1-19     billboard; or

1-20                 (4)  the billboard is located adjacent to a wet

1-21     precinct separated by a United States highway that merges into and

1-22     becomes an interstate highway in a county with a population of

1-23     250,000 or less and advertises directions to a winery located in

1-24     the adjacent wet precinct.

 2-1           SECTION 2.  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. 2997 was passed by the House on May

         2, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 138, Nays 4, 2 present, not

         voting.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 2997 was passed by the Senate on May

         26, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor