AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the liability of the operator of a railroad.

 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-3           SECTION 1.  Chapter 10, Title 112, Revised Statutes, is

 1-4     amended by adding Article 6432A to read as follows:

 1-5           Art. 6432A.  APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER.  Notwithstanding any

 1-6     other law, this chapter applies to any person, receiver, or

 1-7     corporation except for the portion of the operations of the person,

 1-8     receiver, or corporation that:

 1-9                 (1)  consists solely of the fabrication, manufacture,

1-10     repair, or storage of rail rolling stock; or

1-11                 (2)  uses rail cars solely as a part of its own

1-12     internal manufacturing or production process.

1-13           SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only

1-14     to a cause of action that accrues on or after the effective date of

1-15     this Act.  A cause of action that accrued before the effective date

1-16     of this Act is governed by the law in effect at the time the cause

1-17     of action accrued, and the former law is continued in effect for

1-18     that purpose.

1-19           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 2-1     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-2     passage, and it is so enacted.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 753 passed the Senate on

         April 17, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 753 passed the House on

         May 6, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 136, Nays 0, one present

         not voting.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

         Approved:

         _______________________________

                     Date

         _______________________________

                   Governor