1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the Gonzales County Hospital District.

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

 1-4           SECTION 1.  The name of the Gonzales County Hospital District

 1-5     is changed to Gonzales Healthcare Systems.

 1-6           SECTION 2.  Section 1, Chapter 191, Acts of the 64th

 1-7     Legislature, Regular Session, 1975, is amended to read as follows:

 1-8           Sec. 1.  In accordance with the provisions of Article IX,

 1-9     Section 9, of the Texas Constitution, this Act authorizes the

1-10     creation, establishment, administration, maintenance, operation,

1-11     and financing of a hospital district within this state, the

1-12     boundaries of which shall include all of the land or territory in

1-13     Gonzales County, Texas, except those portions of the land or

1-14     territory comprising Nixon Hospital District of Gonzales and Wilson

1-15     Counties, Texas; Cuero Hospital District of DeWitt County, Texas;

1-16     Yoakum Hospital District; and Shiner Independent School District of

1-17     Shiner and Lavaca Counties, Texas, which lie within Gonzales

1-18     County, Texas (as each district existed on January 1, 1975), to be

1-19     known as Gonzales Healthcare Systems [County Hospital District]

1-20     with such rights, powers, and duties as provided in this Act.

1-21           SECTION 3.  Section 4(c), Chapter 191, Acts of the 64th

1-22     Legislature, Regular Session, 1975, is amended to read as follows:

1-23           (c)  At such time as the creation of the district is approved

1-24     and the returns of the election officially canvassed, the persons

 2-1     then serving as temporary directors shall become permanent

 2-2     directors of the district, shall execute the constitutional oath of

 2-3     office as such, and shall divide themselves into two classes,

 2-4     namely: class one, five persons to serve until the first Saturday

 2-5     in April next following the election wherein the creation of said

 2-6     district is approved, and class two, four persons to serve until

 2-7     the first Saturday in April of the next succeeding year.

 2-8     Successors of class one shall be elected by vote of the qualified

 2-9     electors of the entire district for two-year terms.  Successors of

2-10     class two shall be elected by the qualified electors of the

2-11     commissioner's precinct to be represented, with one director to be

2-12     elected from each precinct, for two-year terms.  Notice of each

2-13     election shall be published in a newspaper or newspapers which

2-14     individually or collectively provide general circulation in the

2-15     district one time at least 45 [30] days prior to the date of the

2-16     election.  Any person desiring to have his name printed on the

2-17     ballot as a candidate for director shall file a petition signed by

2-18     at least 10 electors asking that such name be printed on the ballot

2-19     with the secretary of the board of directors.  The petition shall

2-20     be filed with the secretary at least 45 [30] days prior to the date

2-21     of the election.  Vacancies in office shall be filled for the

2-22     unexpired term by the remainder of the board of directors.

2-23           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-25     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-26     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-27     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 3-1     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 3-2     passage, and it is so enacted.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 3566 was passed by the House on May

         7, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 139, Nays 0, 2 present, not

         voting.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 3566 was passed by the Senate on May

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

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor