By Bernsen                                             S.B. No. 446
         77R1146 BDH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the application of the fishing license requirement to a
 1-3     person who is at least 65 years of age.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 46.002(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (a)  A license issued under this chapter is not required of a
 1-8     person:
 1-9                 (1)  who is a resident at least 65 years of age [and
1-10     whose birth date is before September 1, 1930];
1-11                 (2)  who is a nonresident at least 65 years of age, if
1-12     the person's [birth date is before September 1, 1930, and the
1-13     person's] state of residence grants a similar age exemption to
1-14     Texas residents;
1-15                 (3)  who is mentally disabled and who is engaging in
1-16     recreational fishing as part of medically approved therapy, and who
1-17     is fishing under the immediate supervision of personnel approved or
1-18     employed by a hospital, residence, or school for mentally disabled
1-19     persons; or
1-20                 (4)  who is participating in an event that is sponsored
1-21     or co-sponsored by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with the
1-22     approval of the Executive Director.
1-23           SECTION 2.  The Parks and Wildlife Department may not
1-24     implement the change in law made by this Act to Section 46.002(a),
 2-1     Parks and Wildlife Code, unless the 77th Legislature expressly
 2-2     appropriates to the department an amount sufficient to recover the
 2-3     costs of implementing the change in law.
 2-4           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 2-5     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 2-6     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 2-7     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 2-8     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.