1-1     By:  Galloway                                         S.B. No. 1543

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 13, 1997; March 20, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental

 1-4     Relations; April 10, 1997, reported favorably by the following

 1-5     vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; April 10, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to the authority of a county to charge fees for the

 1-9     regulation of wild animals.

1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-11           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 240, Local Government Code,

1-12     is amended by adding Section 240.005 to read as follows:

1-13           Sec. 240.005.  FEES.  (a)  The commissioners court of a

1-14     county by order may establish a reasonable fee to cover the costs

1-15     associated with regulating the keeping of a wild animal under this

1-16     chapter.

1-17           (b)  A fee established under this section may be collected

1-18     only from the person who keeps a wild animal regulated under this

1-19     subchapter.

1-20           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-21     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-22     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-23     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-24     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-25     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-26     passage, and it is so enacted.

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