1-1     By:  Bernsen                                           S.B. No. 633
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 9, 2001; February 12, 2001,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental
 1-4     Relations; March 1, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:
 1-5     Yeas 7, Nays 0; March 1, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the authority of certain counties to prohibit open
 1-9     fires on public beaches.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1.  The heading of Subchapter D, Chapter 61, Natural
1-12     Resources Code, is amended to read as follows:
1-13              SUBCHAPTER D.  COUNTY REGULATION OF PUBLIC USE OF
1-14                        BEACHES [TRAFFIC AND LITTER]
1-15           SECTION 2.  The heading of Section 61.122, Natural Resources
1-16     Code, is amended to read as follows:
1-17           Sec. 61.122.  COUNTY REGULATORY AUTHORITY [REGULATION OF
1-18     TRAFFIC, PROHIBITION OF LITTER, POSSESSION OF ANIMALS ON BEACHES,
1-19     AND SWIMMING IN PASSES TO AND FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO].
1-20           SECTION 3.  Section 61.122, Natural Resources Code, is
1-21     amended by redesignating current Subsection (d) as Subsection (e)
1-22     and adding a new Subsection (d) to read as follows:
1-23           (d)  The commissioners court of a county bordering on the
1-24     Gulf of Mexico or its tidewater limits, by order, may prohibit open
1-25     fires on a beach in the unincorporated area of the county.
1-26           (e)  Regulation under Subsection (a) of this section that
1-27     prohibits vehicles from an area of public beach is subject to
1-28     Section 61.022 of this code.
1-29           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-30     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-31     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-32     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-33     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-34                                  * * * * *