By Galloway                                           S.B. No. 1543

         Substitute the following for S.B. No. 1543:

         By Denny                                          C.S.S.B. No. 1543

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the authority of a county to charge fees for the

 1-3     regulation of wild animals.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 240, Local Government Code,

 1-6     is amended by adding Section 240.005 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 240.005.  FEES.  The commissioners court of a county by

 1-8     order may establish a reasonable fee for each wild animal to cover

 1-9     the costs associated with regulating the keeping of a wild animal

1-10     under this chapter.

1-11           (b)  A fee established under this section may be collected

1-12     only from the person who keeps a wild animal regulated under this

1-13     subchapter.

1-14           (c)  A fee established under this section may not exceed $35

1-15     for each wild animal and may not exceed $500, regardless of the

1-16     number of wild animals.

1-17           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-18     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.