1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to contracts executed by and the election of the board of
 1-3     directors of the Val Verde County Hospital District.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 4A(c), Chapter 658, Acts of the 64th
 1-6     Legislature, Regular Session, 1975, is amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (c)  A declaration of write-in candidacy must be filed with
 1-8     the secretary of the board of directors not later than 5 p.m. of
 1-9     the 35th [45th] day before election day.  However, if a candidate
1-10     whose name is to appear on the ballot dies or is declared
1-11     ineligible after the 38th [48th] day before election day, a
1-12     declaration of write-in candidacy for the office sought by the
1-13     deceased or ineligible candidate may be filed not later than 5 p.m.
1-14     of the 32nd [42nd] day before election day.
1-15           SECTION 2.  Section 11, Chapter 658, Acts of the 64th
1-16     Legislature, Regular Session, 1975, is amended to read as follows:
1-17           Sec. 11.  The board of directors of such district shall have
1-18     the power to prescribe the method and manner of making purchases
1-19     and expenditures by and for such hospital district, and shall also
1-20     be authorized to prescribe all accounting and control procedures.
1-21     All contracts for construction involving the expenditure of more
1-22     than $15,000 may be made only after advertising in the manner
1-23     provided by Subchapter B, Chapter 271, Local Government Code, or
1-24     all contracts for purchases involving the expenditure of more than
 2-1     $15,000 [$5,000] may be made only after advertising in the manner
 2-2     provided by Subchapter C, Chapter 262 [252], Local Government Code.
 2-3     The provisions of Chapter 2253, Government Code, relating to
 2-4     performance and payment bonds, shall apply to construction
 2-5     contracts let by the district.  The district may acquire equipment
 2-6     for use in its hospital system and mortgage or pledge the property
 2-7     so acquired as security for the payment of the purchase price, but
 2-8     any such contract shall provide for the entire obligation of the
 2-9     district to be retired within five years from the date of the
2-10     contract.  Except as permitted in the preceding sentence and as
2-11     permitted by Sections 7 and 8 of this Act, the district may incur
2-12     no obligation payable from any revenues of the district, taxes or
2-13     otherwise, except those on hand or to be on hand within the then
2-14     current and following fiscal year of the district.
2-15           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-16           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-17     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-18     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-19     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-20     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 1374 was passed by the House on May
         8, 1999, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 1374 was passed by the Senate on May
         26, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                          Governor