1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to designating the Texas National Guard Counterdrug

 1-3     Support Program as a law enforcement agency in certain

 1-4     circumstances.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 431, Government Code, is

 1-7     amended by adding Section 431.046 to read as follows:

 1-8           Sec. 431.046.  PROPERTY FORFEITURE.  When the Texas National

 1-9     Guard Counterdrug Support Program assists a federal law enforcement

1-10     agency in enforcing drug laws, the Texas National Guard Counterdrug

1-11     Support Program is considered to be a law enforcement agency of the

1-12     state for the purpose of participating in the sharing of property

1-13     seized or forfeited to the United States under federal law.

1-14           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-15     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-16     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-17     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-18     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-19     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-20     passage, and it is so enacted.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 3278 was passed by the House on April

         25, 1997, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in

         Senate amendments to H.B. No. 3278 on May 24, 1997, by the

         following vote:  Yeas 140, Nays 0, 1 present, not voting.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 3278 was passed by the Senate, with

         amendments, on May 22, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays

         0.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor