By Denny                                               H.B. No. 246
         76R1199 PAM-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to providing a criminal penalty for failure of a political
 1-3     party officer to perform required duties.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 161, Election Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Section 161.0091 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 161.0091.  PARTY OFFICER SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL PENALTY.
 1-8     (a)  An officer of a political party commits an offense if the
 1-9     officer fails to perform a duty placed by this code on the officer.
1-10           (b)  An offense under this section is:
1-11                 (1)  a Class C misdemeanor if the conduct is performed
1-12     recklessly or with criminal negligence; or
1-13                 (2)  a Class A misdemeanor if the conduct is performed
1-14     knowingly.
1-15           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-16           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-17     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-18     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-19     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-20     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.