By West                                                H.B. No. 232
         76R1580 JD-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the penalties for certain intoxication offenses.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  (a)  Section 49.04(b), Penal Code, is amended to
 1-5     read as follows:
 1-6           (b)  Except as provided by [Subsection (c) and] Section
 1-7     49.09, an offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor, with
 1-8     a minimum term of confinement of 30 days [72 hours].
 1-9           (b)  Section 49.04(c), Penal Code, is repealed.
1-10           SECTION 2.  Section 49.05(b), Penal Code, is amended to read
1-11     as follows:
1-12           (b)  Except as provided by Section 49.09, an offense under
1-13     this section is a Class B misdemeanor, with a minimum term of
1-14     confinement of 30 days [72 hours].
1-15           SECTION 3.  Section 49.06(b), Penal Code, is amended to read
1-16     as follows:
1-17           (b)  Except as provided by Section 49.09, an offense under
1-18     this section is a Class B misdemeanor, with a minimum term of
1-19     confinement of 30 days [72 hours].
1-20           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.  The
1-21     changes in law made by this Act apply only to an offense committed
1-22     on or after September 1, 1999.  An offense committed before
1-23     September 1, 1999, is covered by the law in effect when the offense
1-24     was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that
 2-1     purpose.  For purposes of this section, an offense was committed
 2-2     before September 1, 1999, if any element of the offense occurred
 2-3     before that date.
 2-4           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-5     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-6     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-7     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-8     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.