By Madden                                              H.B. No. 312
         76R2413 DRH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the meaning of a relationship involving marriage for
 1-3     purposes of laws governing the conduct of an election.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 1, Election Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Section 1.017 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 1.017.  RELATIONSHIP INVOLVING INFORMAL MARRIAGE.  For
 1-8     purposes of this code and any other law of this state relating to
 1-9     the conduct of an election, a relationship involving marriage
1-10     includes an informal marriage described by Section 2.401, Family
1-11     Code.
1-12           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-13           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-14     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-15     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-16     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-17     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.