82R9727 AJA-F By: Thompson H.B. No. 1956 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to appeal of an order of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission or the commission's administrator refusing, canceling, or suspending a private club registration permit. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 32.18, Alcoholic Beverage Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 32.18. APPEALS FROM ORDERS OF COMMISSION OR ADMINISTRATOR. An appeal from an order of the commission or administrator refusing, cancelling, or suspending a private club registration permit shall be taken to the district court of the county in which the private club is located. The proceeding on appeal shall be under the substantial evidence rule. The rules applicable to ordinary civil suits apply, with the following exceptions, which shall be construed literally: (1) all appeals shall be perfected and filed within 30 days after the order, decision, or ruling of the commission or administrator becomes final and appealable; (2) all causes shall be tried before the judge within 60 [10] days from the filing, and neither party shall be entitled to a jury; and (3) the order, decision, or ruling of the commission or administrator may be suspended or modified by the district court pending a trial on the merits, but the final judgment of the district court shall not be modified or suspended pending appeal. SECTION 2. Section 32.18, Alcoholic Beverage Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to an appeal filed on or after the effective date of this Act. An appeal filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.