|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to a bag limit exemption for certain participants in |
|
certain fishing tournaments in Chambers, Jefferson, Galveston, |
|
Hardin, Newton, and Orange Counties. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Title 7, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended by |
|
adding Chapter 290 to read as follows: |
|
CHAPTER 290. CHAMBERS, JEFFERSON, GALVESTON, HARDIN, NEWTON, AND |
|
ORANGE COUNTIES |
|
Sec. 290.001. BAG LIMIT EXEMPTIONS FOR CERTAIN FISHING |
|
TOURNAMENTS. (a) In this section, "fishing tournament" has the |
|
meaning assigned by Section 66.023. |
|
(b) This section applies to a fishing tournament held on the |
|
southern stretches of the Sabine or Neches River, in the Gulf |
|
Intracoastal Waterway, or in the Gulf of Mexico as those bodies of |
|
water lie within or are adjacent to the following counties: |
|
(1) Chambers County; |
|
(2) Jefferson County; |
|
(3) Galveston County; |
|
(4) Hardin County; |
|
(5) Newton County; and |
|
(6) Orange County. |
|
(c) A participant in a fishing tournament who is part of a |
|
team affiliated with a college or high school may count toward the |
|
participant's bag limit for largemouth bass a fish that is smaller |
|
than the applicable size limit by not more than two inches. |
|
(d) A fish counted under this section must be released after |
|
weighing. |
|
SECTION 2. Chapter 290, Parks and Wildlife Code, as added by |
|
this Act, applies only to a fishing tournament held on or after the |
|
effective date of this Act. |
|
SECTION 3. (a) The legal notice of the intention to |
|
introduce this Act, setting forth the general substance of this |
|
Act, has been published as provided by law, and the notice and a |
|
copy of this Act have been furnished to all persons, agencies, |
|
officials, or entities to which they are required to be furnished |
|
under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, and Chapter 313, |
|
Government Code. |
|
(b) The governor, one of the required recipients, has |
|
submitted the notice and Act to the Texas Commission on |
|
Environmental Quality. |
|
(c) The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has filed |
|
its recommendations relating to this Act with the governor, the |
|
lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of |
|
representatives within the required time. |
|
(d) All requirements of the constitution and laws of this |
|
state and the rules and procedures of the legislature with respect |
|
to the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled |
|
and accomplished. |
|
SECTION 4. 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, 2015. |