By Nixon                                        H.B. No. 3238

      75R9094 BEM-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the sale of alcoholic beverages near a church or public

 1-3     hospital.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 109.33(b), Alcoholic Beverage Code, is

 1-6     amended to read as follows:

 1-7           (b)  [The measurement of the distance between the place of

 1-8     business where alcoholic beverages are sold and the church or

 1-9     public hospital shall be along the property lines of the street

1-10     fronts and from front door to front door, and in direct line across

1-11     intersections.]  The measurement of the distance between the place

1-12     of business where alcoholic beverages are sold and the church,

1-13     public hospital, or public school [schools] shall be in a direct

1-14     line from the  property line of the church, public hospital, or

1-15     public school to the property line of the place of business, and in

1-16     a direct line across intersections.

1-17           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-18           (b)  The change in law made by this Act applies to:

1-19                 (1)  a place of business for which a permit or license

1-20     is issued on or after September 1, 1997; and

1-21                 (2)  a premises that meets the requirements prescribed

1-22     by Section 109.33(a), Alcoholic Beverage Code, as measured by

1-23     Section 109.33(b), Alcoholic Beverage Code, before September 1,

1-24     1997.

 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.