By: Raymond (Senate Sponsor - Paxton) H.B. No. 558
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2023;
May 5, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on State
Affairs; May 15, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 15, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE VOTE
YeaNayAbsentPNV
HughesX
PaxtonX
BettencourtX
BirdwellX
LaMantiaX
MenéndezX
MiddletonX
ParkerX
PerryX
SchwertnerX
ZaffiriniX
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to prohibiting certain limitations on the operation of
certain organizations that benefit veterans during a declared state
of disaster.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 418.012, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 418.012. EXECUTIVE ORDERS. (a) Under this chapter,
the governor may issue executive orders, proclamations, and
regulations and amend or rescind them. Executive orders,
proclamations, and regulations have the force and effect of law.
(b) An executive order, proclamation, or regulation issued
by the governor under this chapter that restricts the operation of
or the hours of operation for a business that sells alcoholic
beverages may not include an organization exempt from federal
taxation under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as an
organization described by Section 501(c)(19) of that code, that
benefits veterans of the United States armed forces.
SECTION 2. Section 418.012, Government Code, as amended by
this Act, applies only to a declaration of a state of disaster
issued or renewed on or after the effective date of this Act. A
declaration issued 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 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, 2023.
* * * * *