Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

      Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

      By Gallego                                      H.B. No. 3248

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the composition of the Public Safety Commission.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Sections 411.003(b) and (c), Government Code, are

 1-5     amended to read as follows:

 1-6           (b)  The commission is composed of six [three] citizens of

 1-7     this state appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of

 1-8     the senate.  Members must be selected because of their peculiar

 1-9     qualifications for the position.  Appointments to the commission

1-10     shall be made without regard to race, color, disability, sex,

1-11     religion, age, or national origin.  In making an appointment the

1-12     governor shall consider, among other things, the person's knowledge

1-13     of laws, experience in the enforcement of law, honesty, integrity,

1-14     education, training, and executive ability.

1-15           (c)  Members serve staggered six-year terms with the term of

1-16     two members [one member] expiring January 1 of each even-numbered

1-17     year.

1-18           SECTION 2.  (a)  In making the three new initial appointments

1-19     to the Public Safety Commission authorized by this Act, the

1-20     governor shall designate one member for a term expiring January 1,

1-21     1998, one member for a term expiring January 1, 2000, and one

1-22     member for a term expiring January 1, 2002.

1-23           (b)  Until all members appointed under Subsection (a) of this

1-24     section have taken office, a quorum of the Public Safety Commission

 2-1     is a majority of the members of the commission who have qualified

 2-2     for office.

 2-3           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-4           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-5     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-6     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-7     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-8     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.