By Seaman H.B. No. 3578 75R12028 PB-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to enforcement of building codes affecting certain coastal 1-3 counties. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. APPLICATION. This Act applies to each county of 1-6 this state that: 1-7 (1) has a population of 290,000 or more; and 1-8 (2) includes all or part of an island that borders the 1-9 Gulf of Mexico. 1-10 SECTION 2. EXEMPTION. (a) Notwithstanding any law to the 1-11 contrary, a building code adopted on or after April 1, 1997, does 1-12 not apply to a county subject to this Act. 1-13 (b) For purposes of this section, "building code" means any 1-14 new building standard, specification, or guideline adopted by the 1-15 commissioner of insurance on or after April 1, 1997. 1-16 SECTION 3. EXPIRATION. This Act expires June 1, 1999. 1-17 SECTION 4. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation 1-18 and the 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.