AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the procedure by which a municipality may dispose of

 1-2     certain land.

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

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 253.001, Local Government Code, is

 1-5     amended by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:

 1-6           (h)(1)  The election requirement of Subsection (b) does not

 1-7     apply to a conveyance of a park if:

 1-8                       (A)  the park is 1.25 acres or less;

 1-9                       (B)  the governing body finds, after a public

1-10     hearing, that the property is no longer usable and functional as a

1-11     park and that the conveyance is in the best interest of the public;

1-12                       (C)  any proceeds from the conveyance will be

1-13     used only for the acquisition of additional park land in the

1-14     municipality;

1-15                       (D)  the park was acquired by the municipality:

1-16                             (i)  from the United States Department of

1-17     Housing and Urban Development;

1-18                             (ii)  by tax sale or foreclosure; or

1-19                             (iii)  by dedication in lieu of a tax sale

1-20     or foreclosure; and

1-21                       (E)  the conveyance is made on or after September

1-22     1, 1997.

1-23                 (2)  This subsection expires on September 1, 2002.

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

 2-2           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-3     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-4     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-5     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-6     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 544 passed the Senate on

         March 6, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays 0.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 544 passed the House on

         April 18, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

         Approved:

         _______________________________

                     Date

         _______________________________

                   Governor