By Ellis                                              H.B. No. 3791
         76R7803 WP-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to fishing tournament permits; providing a penalty.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 43, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended
 1-5     by adding Subchapter S to read as follows:
 1-6             SUBCHAPTER S. FRESHWATER FISHING TOURNAMENT PERMIT
 1-7           Sec. 43.701.  FRESHWATER FISHING TOURNAMENT EXEMPTION PERMIT.
 1-8     The department may issue a freshwater fishing tournament permit
 1-9     that  temporarily exempts participants in a freshwater fishing
1-10     tournament from any fish size or bag restrictions on the body of
1-11     water being fished if those restrictions differ from general
1-12     statewide restrictions.
1-13           Sec. 43.702.  COMMISSION RULES.  The commission by rule shall
1-14     prescribe the requirements and conditions for issuance of a permit
1-15     under this subchapter, including:
1-16                 (1)  identification of a person as the primary
1-17     applicant for the permit;
1-18                 (2)  the size, number, and species of fish and the
1-19     harvest regulation involved;
1-20                 (3)  adherence to conditions for operation of the
1-21     tournament that maximize live release of all fish to the waters
1-22     where the fish were caught; and
1-23                 (4)  duration of the permit.
1-24           Sec. 43.703.  FEE.  The department may collect a fee for
 2-1     issuance of the permit not to exceed the amount necessary to
 2-2     reimburse the department for administrative costs associated with
 2-3     issuance of the permit.
 2-4           Sec. 43.704.  PENALTY.  A person who violates a condition of
 2-5     a permit issued or a commission rule adopted under this subchapter
 2-6     commits an offense that is a Class C Parks and Wildlife Code
 2-7     misdemeanor.
 2-8           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-9           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-10     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-11     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-12     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-13     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.