1-1     By:  Lindsay                                           S.B. No. 155
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed January 13, 1999; January 28, 1999,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
 1-4     March 8, 1999, reported favorably, as amended, by the following
 1-5     vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; March 8, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6     COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1                                By:  Nixon
 1-7     Amend S.B. No. 155 by adding the following section at the end of
 1-8     SECTION 2: "This section does not apply to a public institution of
 1-9     higher education as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code."
1-10                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-11                                   AN ACT
1-12     relating to a limitation on the amount charged for parking in
1-13     connection with a special event; creating an offense.
1-14           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-15           SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS.  In this Act:
1-16                 (1)  "Parking facility," "parking facility owner," and
1-17     "vehicle" have the meanings assigned by Section 684.001,
1-18     Transportation Code.
1-19                 (2)  "Special event" includes a sporting event,
1-20     convention, concert, exhibit, parade, or political rally.
1-21           SECTION 2.  LIMITATION OF PARKING CHARGE IN CONNECTION WITH
1-22     SPECIAL EVENT.  A parking facility owner may not charge for parking
1-23     a vehicle in the parking facility in connection with a special
1-24     event an amount that is more than two times the amount computed
1-25     using the rate that is normally charged for parking a vehicle in
1-26     the facility on that day of the week and at that time.
1-27           SECTION 3.  OFFENSE.  (a)  A person commits an offense if the
1-28     person violates Section 2 of this Act.
1-29           (b)  An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
1-30           (c)  It is a defense to prosecution under this section that
1-31     the parking facility owner posted a conspicuous sign at least two
1-32     feet wide and two feet high at the entrance to the parking facility
1-33     stating:
1-34                 (1)  the rate that is normally charged for parking a
1-35     vehicle in the facility; and
1-36                 (2)  the rate that is charged for parking a vehicle in
1-37     the facility in connection with a special event.
1-38           SECTION 4.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect September
1-39     1, 1999.
1-40           SECTION 5.  EMERGENCY.  The importance of this legislation
1-41     and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-42     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-43     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-44     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
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