By Bosse H.B. No. 690 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to collection by a water or sewer service corporation of 1-3 voluntary contributions on behalf of certain emergency services. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 76, Acts of the 43rd Legislature, 1st 1-6 Called Session, 1933 (Article 1434a, Vernon's Texas Civil 1-7 Statutes), is amended by adding Section 4A to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 4A. (a) A corporation may implement as part of its 1-9 billing process a program under which the corporation collects from 1-10 its customers voluntary contributions on behalf of a volunteer fire 1-11 department or an emergency medical service. In this section, 1-12 "voluntary contribution" includes a voluntary membership or 1-13 subscription fee. 1-14 (b) A corporation that collects contributions under this 1-15 section shall provide each customer at the time that the customer 1-16 first subscribes to the water or sewer service, and at least 1-17 annually thereafter, a written statement: 1-18 (1) describing the procedure by which the customer may 1-19 make a contribution with the customer's bill payment; 1-20 (2) designating the volunteer fire department or 1-21 emergency medical service to which the corporation will deliver the 1-22 contribution; 1-23 (3) informing the customer that a contribution is 1-24 voluntary; and 2-1 (4) describing the deductibility status of the 2-2 contribution under federal income tax law. 2-3 (c) Any billing by the corporation that includes a voluntary 2-4 contribution under this section must clearly state that the 2-5 contribution is voluntary and that it may be deducted from the 2-6 billed amount. 2-7 (d) The corporation shall promptly deliver contributions 2-8 that it collects under this section to the volunteer fire 2-9 department or emergency medical service designated in the statement 2-10 required by Subsection (b) of this section, except that the 2-11 corporation may keep from the contributions an amount equal to the 2-12 smaller of: 2-13 (1) the corporation's expenses in administering the 2-14 contribution program; or 2-15 (2) five percent of the amount collected as 2-16 contributions. 2-17 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-18 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-19 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-20 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-21 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-22 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-23 passage, and it is so enacted.