1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the acquisition or lease of hospital facilities by

 1-3     certain county-municipality hospital boards.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 265.037, Health and Safety Code, is

 1-6     amended by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:

 1-7           (d)  A board existing in a county with a population of more

 1-8     than 100,000 and a municipality with a population of more than

 1-9     75,000, as an exercise of its powers as a public agency and body

1-10     politic, may purchase, construct, receive, lease, or otherwise

1-11     acquire hospital facilities, including the sublease of one or more

1-12     hospital facilities, regardless of whether the action might be

1-13     considered anticompetitive under the antitrust laws of the United

1-14     States or this state.

1-15           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-16     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-17     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-18     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-19     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 3587 was passed by the House on May

         10, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 3587 was passed by the Senate on May

         23, 1997, by a viva-voce vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor