H.B. No. 1956
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to appeal of an order of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage
  Commission or the commission's administrator refusing, canceling,
  or suspending a license or permit.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 11.67(b), Alcoholic Beverage Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The appeal shall be under the substantial evidence rule
  and against the commission alone as defendant. The rules
  applicable to ordinary civil suits apply, with the following
  exceptions, which shall be construed literally:
               (1)  the appeal shall be perfected and filed within 30
  days after the date the order, decision, or ruling of the commission
  or administrator becomes final and appealable;
               (2)  the case shall be tried before a judge within 20
  [10] days from the date it is filed;
               (3)  neither party is entitled to a jury; and
               (4)  the order, decision, or ruling of the commission
  or administrator may be suspended or modified by the court pending a
  trial on the merits, but the final judgment of the district court
  may not be modified or suspended pending appeal.
         SECTION 2.  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
  20 [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 3.  Sections 11.67(b) and 32.18, Alcoholic Beverage
  Code, as amended by this Act, apply 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 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1956 was passed by the House on April
  7, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 144, Nays 0, 1 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 1956 on May 16, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 0,
  1 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1956 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on April 29, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 31,
  Nays 0
  .
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor