By: Turner of Tarrant (Senate Sponsor - West) H.B. No. 1222

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 15, 2013; April 17, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence; May 9, 2013, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 9, 2013, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to venue for certain alleged violations or offenses under the Water Safety Act.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 31.126(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) Venue for an alleged violation or offense under the provisions of this chapter is in the justice court, [or] county court, or municipal court having jurisdiction where the violation or offense was committed.

SECTION 2. Section 31.126(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a violation that occurs or an offense that is committed on or after the effective date of this Act. A violation that occurs or an offense that is committed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the violation occurred or the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, a violation occurs or an offense is committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the violation or offense occurs or is committed before that date.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013.

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