AN ACT
 1-1     relating to the operation of the Muenster Hospital District.
 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-3           SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 4, Chapter 477, Acts of
 1-4     the 59th Legislature, Regular Session, 1965, is amended to read as
 1-5     follows:
 1-6           (a)  The Board of Directors consists of nine Directors.
 1-7     Directors elected at elections held after May, 1997, serve
 1-8     staggered three-year terms.  A regular election for Directors shall
 1-9     be held on the first Saturday in May of each year.  The regular
1-10     election for Directors shall be ordered by the Board and such order
1-11     shall state the time, place and purpose of the election, and the
1-12     Board shall appoint the presiding judge who shall appoint an
1-13     assistant judge and such clerks as may be required, and such
1-14     election shall be ordered in accordance with Section 3.005,
1-15     Election Code [at least 45 days prior to the date on which it is to
1-16     be held].  Any person desiring his name to be printed on the ballot
1-17     as a candidate for director shall file an application with the
1-18     secretary of the Board of Directors of the District in accordance
1-19     with Section 144.005, Election Code [at least 31 days prior to the
1-20     date of election].  Notice of such election shall be published one
1-21     time in a newspaper of general circulation in the area of the
1-22     District in accordance with Section 4.003(a)(1), Election Code [at
1-23     least 36 days before the election].  All vacancies in office shall
1-24     be filled by a majority vote of the remaining Directors and such
 2-1     appointees shall hold office for the unexpired term for which they
 2-2     were appointed.
 2-3           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-4           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-5     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-6     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-7     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-8     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1628 passed the Senate on
         April 8, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1628 passed the House on
         May 25, 1999, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
         Approved:
         _______________________________
                     Date
         _______________________________
                   Governor