1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to security services in certain court buildings.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 291, Local Government Code, is amended by
 1-5     adding Section 291.010 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 291.010.  SECURITY SERVICES IDENTIFICATION CARD.  (a)
 1-7     The commissioners court of a county with a population of 2.8
 1-8     million or more by order may:
 1-9                 (1)  authorize the issuance of an identification card
1-10     to individuals permitting entrance into a county building that
1-11     houses a justice court, county court, county court at law, or
1-12     district court without passing through the security services
1-13     provided under Article 102.017, Code of Criminal Procedure; and
1-14                 (2)  set a reasonable fee for the issuance of the
1-15     identification card to individuals other than county employees.
1-16           (b)  The commissioners court shall adopt standards for
1-17     issuing an identification card described by this section to ensure
1-18     public safety and security.
1-19           (c)  This section does not authorize a person to possess a
1-20     firearm, as that term is defined by Section 46.01, Penal Code, in a
1-21     county building that houses a justice court, county court, county
1-22     court at law, or district court.  A person who possesses a firearm
1-23     in any court described by this section or in any office used by the
1-24     court without the court's written authorization or without
 2-1     complying with any written regulation of the court is subject to
 2-2     the penalties provided by Chapter 46, Penal Code.
 2-3           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-4     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-5     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-6     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-7     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 2-8     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 2-9     passage, and it is so enacted.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 1168 was passed by the House on April
         16, 1999, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in
         Senate amendments to H.B. No. 1168 on May 26, 1999, by a non-record
         vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 1168 was passed by the Senate, with
         amendments, on May 24, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays
         0.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                          Governor