By Flores                                              H.B. No. 715
         76R3402 WP-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to education requirements for game wardens.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 11.019, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
 1-6           (e)  The commission shall adopt rules to govern the
 1-7     qualifications, conduct, and duties of commissioned game wardens.
 1-8     The rules at a minimum must require an applicant for a game warden
 1-9     position to:
1-10                 (1)  be at least 20 years of age;
1-11                 (2)  have at least 60 semester hours of college;
1-12                 (3)  be a U.S. citizen;
1-13                 (4)  pass a written examination provided by the
1-14     commission; and
1-15                 (5)  meet physical fitness standards established by the
1-16     commission.
1-17           SECTION 2.  (a)  The Parks and Wildlife Commission shall
1-18     adopt the rules required by Section 11.019(e), Parks and Wildlife
1-19     Code, as added by this Act, before January 1, 2000.
1-20           (b)  The change in law made by this Act to the qualifications
1-21     for becoming a commissioned game warden applies only to a person
1-22     who submits an application on or after the effective date of the
1-23     rules adopted under Section 11.019(e), Parks and Wildlife Code, as
1-24     added by this Act.  An application submitted before that date is
 2-1     covered by the law in effect when the application was submitted,
 2-2     and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
 2-3           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-4           SECTION 4.  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.