By Ritter H.B. No. 1735 77R6770 MI-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to authorizing certain nature centers in certain counties 1-3 to charge admission fees. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 10, Local Government Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Chapter 336 to read as follows: 1-7 CHAPTER 336. NATURE CENTERS 1-8 Sec. 336.001. AUTHORITY OF CERTAIN NATURE CENTERS TO CHARGE 1-9 ADMISSION FEE. (a) This section applies only in a county with a 1-10 population of 1.8 million or more. 1-11 (b) The board of directors of a not-for-profit entity that 1-12 maintains county and municipal park property abutting property that 1-13 is owned by the entity and operated as a nature center may charge 1-14 an admission fee for entrance onto or use of the county and 1-15 municipal property. Any fee must be approved each year by the 1-16 county and the municipality and may not exceed $3 a day for an 1-17 adult and $1 a day for a child younger than 13 years of age. 1-18 (c) Fees collected under this section may be used only to 1-19 provide educational programs conducted on, or to maintain or 1-20 construct improvements to, the county and municipal property. 1-21 (d) Fees collected under this section shall be audited 1-22 annually by an independent auditor. All audit reports shall be 1-23 submitted to the county and municipality on completion. 1-24 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 2-1 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 2-2 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 2-3 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 2-4 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.