By Pitts                                              H.B. No. 2778
         76R7150 SMJ-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the allocation of a portion of the revenue from the
 1-3     hotel occupancy tax for use in international marketing activities.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 156.251, Tax Code, is amended to read as
 1-6     follows:
 1-7           Sec. 156.251.  REVENUE DEPOSITED IN GENERAL REVENUE FUND.
 1-8     (a)  The revenue from the tax imposed by this chapter shall be
 1-9     deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the general
1-10     revenue fund.
1-11           (b) [(d)]  An amount equal to the amount of revenue derived
1-12     from the collection of taxes imposed by this chapter at a rate of
1-13     one-half of one percent shall be allocated in the general revenue
1-14     fund to be used for media advertising and other marketing
1-15     activities of the Tourism Division of the Texas Department of
1-16     Economic Development  [Commerce.  Section 403.094(h), Government
1-17     Code, does not apply to funds described in this section.  This
1-18     subsection takes effect October 1, 1994].
1-19           (c)  An amount equal to the amount of revenue derived from
1-20     the collection of taxes imposed by this chapter at a rate of
1-21     one-half of one percent  shall be allocated in the general revenue
1-22     fund to be used by the Tourism Division of the Texas Department of
1-23     Economic Development for the following international marketing
1-24     activities:
 2-1                 (1)  developing promotional materials in foreign
 2-2     languages;
 2-3                 (2)  increasing advertising to international markets;
 2-4                 (3)  increasing participation in international
 2-5     conventions and trade shows;
 2-6                 (4)  increasing international direct sales efforts; and
 2-7                 (5)  expanding representation in international markets
 2-8     through contractual arrangements.
 2-9           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
2-10     applies only to the proceeds from the collection of the taxes
2-11     imposed under Chapter 156, Tax Code, on or after that date.
2-12           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-13     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-14     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-15     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-16     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.