By Jones of Lubbock                                   H.B. No. 2997

         75R9292 PAM-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 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 billboard is within 1,500 feet of the premises

1-14     that the billboard advertises; and

1-15                 (2)  an interstate highway separates the premises and

1-16     the billboard.

1-17           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-22     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-23     passage, and it is so enacted.

1-24                          COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1

 2-1           Amend H.B. 2997 as follows:

 2-2           (1)  On page 1, between lines 12 and 13, insert the

 2-3     following:

 2-4                 "(1)  the premises that the billboard advertises is

 2-5     located in a county with a population of 250,000 or less; and".

 2-6           (2)  On page 1, line 13, strike "(1)" and substitute "(2)".

 2-7           (3)  On page 1, line 15, strike lines 15 and 16, and insert

 2-8     the following:

 2-9                 "(3)  a United States highway that merges into and

2-10     becomes an interstate highway separates the premises and the

2-11     billboard; or"

2-12           (4)  On page 1, between lines 16 and 17, insert the

2-13     following:

2-14                 "(4)  the billboard is located adjacent to a wet

2-15     precinct separated by a United States highway that merges into and

2-16     becomes an interstate highway in a county with a population of

2-17     250,000 or less and advertises directions to a winery located in

2-18     the adjacent wet precinct."

2-19                                                                Haggerty