R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the State
 1-2     of Texas, 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, That House Rule
 1-3     13, Section 9(a), be suspended in part as provided by House Rule
 1-4     13, Section 9(f), to enable the conference committee appointed to
 1-5     resolve the differences on Senate Bill No. 138, relating to
 1-6     government restrictions on the exercise of religion, to consider
 1-7     and take action on the following matter:
 1-8           House Rule 13, Sections 9(a)(1), (2), and (3), is suspended
 1-9     to permit the committee to omit text relating to a presumption
1-10     established by certain ordinances, rules, orders, decisions, or
1-11     practices, and substitute the following new SECTIONS, appropriately
1-12     numbered:
1-13           SECTION ____.  Subchapter G, Chapter 61, Human Resources
1-14     Code, is amended by adding Section 61.097 to read as follows:
1-15           Sec. 61.097. APPLICATION OF LAW RELATING TO FREE EXERCISE OF
1-16     RELIGION.  For purposes of Chapter 110, Civil Practice and Remedies
1-17     Code, an ordinance, rule, order, decision, or practice that applies
1-18     to a person in the custody of a juvenile detention facility or
1-19     other correctional facility operated by or under a contract with
1-20     the commission, a county, or a juvenile probation department is
1-21     presumed to be in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest
1-22     and the least restrictive means of furthering that interest.  The
1-23     presumption may be rebutted.
1-24           SECTION ____.  Chapter 76, Government Code, is amended by
 2-1     adding Section 76.018 to read as follows:
 2-2           Sec. 76.018.  APPLICATION OF LAW RELATING TO FREE EXERCISE OF
 2-3     RELIGION.  For purposes of Chapter 110, Civil Practice and Remedies
 2-4     Code, an ordinance, rule, order, decision, or practice that applies
 2-5     to a person in the custody of a correctional facility operated by
 2-6     or under a contract with a community supervision and corrections
 2-7     department is presumed to be in furtherance of a compelling
 2-8     governmental interest and the least restrictive means of furthering
 2-9     that interest.  The presumption may be rebutted.
2-10           SECTION ____.  Chapter 493, Government Code, is amended by
2-11     adding Section 493.023 to read as follows:
2-12           Sec. 493.023.  APPLICATION OF LAW RELATING TO FREE EXERCISE
2-13     OF RELIGION.  For purposes of Chapter 110, Civil Practice and
2-14     Remedies Code, an ordinance, rule, order, decision, or practice
2-15     that applies to a person in the custody of a jail or other
2-16     correctional facility operated by or under a contract with the
2-17     department is presumed to be in furtherance of a compelling
2-18     governmental interest and the least restrictive means of furthering
2-19     that interest.  The presumption may be rebutted.
2-20           SECTION ____.  Chapter 361, Local Government Code, is amended
2-21     by adding Subchapter G to read as follows:
2-22                       SUBCHAPTER G. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
2-23           Sec. 361.101.  APPLICATION OF LAW RELATING TO FREE EXERCISE
2-24     OF RELIGION.  For purposes of Chapter 110, Civil Practice and
2-25     Remedies Code, an ordinance, rule, order, decision, or practice
2-26     that applies to a person in the custody of a municipal or county
2-27     jail or other correctional facility operated by or under a contract
 3-1     with a county or municipality is presumed to be in furtherance of a
 3-2     compelling governmental interest and the least restrictive means of
 3-3     furthering that interest.  The presumption may be rebutted.
 3-4           Explanation: This change is necessary to place text relating
 3-5     to certain government agencies in the law relating specifically to
 3-6     those agencies and   to clarify the application of the presumption
 3-7     established by the affected  text to certain juvenile detention and
 3-8     other correctional facilities.
                                                                    Hochberg
                                             _______________________________
                                                   Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.R. No. 1295 was adopted by the House on May
         29, 1999, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House