Bill Text: TX HB608 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the sale of fireworks before and during the Diwali holiday.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 9-3)
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-10 - Effective on 9/1/23 [HB608 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB608-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Relating to the sale of fireworks before and during the Diwali holiday.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 9-3)
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-10 - Effective on 9/1/23 [HB608 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB608-Introduced.html
88R2389 ADM-F | ||
By: Shaheen | H.B. No. 608 |
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relating to the sale of fireworks before and during the Diwali | ||
holiday. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 2154.202(h), Occupations Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(h) In addition to the periods during which the sale of | ||
fireworks is authorized under Subsection (g), the commissioners | ||
court of a county by order may allow a retail fireworks permit | ||
holder to sell fireworks in that county only to the public and only | ||
during one or more of the following periods: | ||
(1) beginning February 25 and ending at midnight on | ||
March 2; | ||
(2) beginning April 16 and ending at midnight on April | ||
21; [ |
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(3) beginning the Wednesday before the last Monday in | ||
May and ending at midnight on the last Monday in May; and | ||
(4) beginning five days before the first day of Diwali | ||
and ending at midnight on the last day of Diwali. | ||
SECTION 2. Sections 352.051(b) and (d), Local Government | ||
Code, are amended to read as follows: | ||
(b)(1) The Texas A&M Forest Service in the ordinary course | ||
of its activities shall determine whether drought conditions, as | ||
defined under Subsection (a)(2), exist on average in any county | ||
requesting such a determination. The Texas A&M Forest Service | ||
shall make available the measurement index guidelines used to | ||
determine whether drought conditions exist in a particular area. | ||
Following any determination that such drought conditions exist, the | ||
Texas A&M Forest Service shall notify said county or counties when | ||
such drought conditions no longer exist. The Texas A&M Forest | ||
Service shall make its services available each day during the Texas | ||
Independence Day, San Jacinto Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, | ||
Diwali, and December fireworks seasons to respond to the request of | ||
any county for a determination whether drought conditions exist on | ||
average in the county. | ||
(2) The Texas A&M Forest Service shall be allowed to | ||
take such donations of equipment or funds as necessary to aid in the | ||
carrying out of this section. | ||
(d) To facilitate compliance with an order adopted under | ||
Subsection (c), the order must be adopted before: | ||
(1) February 15 of each year for the Texas | ||
Independence Day fireworks season; | ||
(2) April 1 of each year for the San Jacinto Day | ||
fireworks season; | ||
(3) April 25 of each year for the Cinco de Mayo | ||
fireworks season; | ||
(4) May 15 of each year for the Memorial Day fireworks | ||
season; | ||
(5) June 15 of each year for the Fourth of July | ||
fireworks season; [ |
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(6) 15 days before the beginning of Diwali for the | ||
Diwali fireworks season; and | ||
(7) December 15 of each year for each December | ||
fireworks season. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |