1-1 By: Bosse (Senate Sponsor - Shelley) H.B. No. 690
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 19, 1993;
1-3 April 19, 1993, read first time and referred to Committee on
1-4 Natural Resources; May 7, 1993, reported favorably by the following
1-5 vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 7, 1993, sent to printer.)
1-6 COMMITTEE VOTE
1-7 Yea Nay PNV Absent
1-8 Sims x
1-9 Truan x
1-10 Armbrister x
1-11 Barrientos x
1-12 Bivins x
1-13 Brown x
1-14 Carriker x
1-15 Lucio x
1-16 Montford x
1-17 Ratliff x
1-18 Shelley x
1-19 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-20 AN ACT
1-21 relating to collection by a water or sewer service corporation of
1-22 voluntary contributions on behalf of certain emergency services.
1-23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-24 SECTION 1. Chapter 76, Acts of the 43rd Legislature, 1st
1-25 Called Session, 1933 (Article 1434a, Vernon's Texas Civil
1-26 Statutes), is amended by adding Section 4A to read as follows:
1-27 Sec. 4A. (a) A corporation may implement as part of its
1-28 billing process a program under which the corporation collects from
1-29 its customers voluntary contributions on behalf of a volunteer fire
1-30 department or an emergency medical service. In this section,
1-31 "voluntary contribution" includes a voluntary membership or
1-32 subscription fee.
1-33 (b) A corporation that collects contributions under this
1-34 section shall provide each customer at the time that the customer
1-35 first subscribes to the water or sewer service, and at least
1-36 annually thereafter, a written statement:
1-37 (1) describing the procedure by which the customer may
1-38 make a contribution with the customer's bill payment;
1-39 (2) designating the volunteer fire department or
1-40 emergency medical service to which the corporation will deliver the
1-41 contribution;
1-42 (3) informing the customer that a contribution is
1-43 voluntary; and
1-44 (4) describing the deductibility status of the
1-45 contribution under federal income tax law.
1-46 (c) Any billing by the corporation that includes a voluntary
1-47 contribution under this section must clearly state that the
1-48 contribution is voluntary and that it may be deducted from the
1-49 billed amount.
1-50 (d) The corporation shall promptly deliver contributions
1-51 that it collects under this section to the volunteer fire
1-52 department or emergency medical service designated in the statement
1-53 required by Subsection (b) of this section, except that the
1-54 corporation may keep from the contributions an amount equal to the
1-55 smaller of:
1-56 (1) the corporation's expenses in administering the
1-57 contribution program; or
1-58 (2) five percent of the amount collected as
1-59 contributions.
1-60 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
1-61 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-62 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-63 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-64 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-65 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-66 passage, and it is so enacted.
1-67 * * * * *
1-68 Austin,
2-1 Texas
2-2 May 7, 1993
2-3 Hon. Bob Bullock
2-4 President of the Senate
2-5 Sir:
2-6 We, your Committee on Natural Resources to which was referred H.B.
2-7 No. 690, have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed
2-8 to report it back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do
2-9 pass and be printed.
2-10 Sims,
2-11 Chairman
2-12 * * * * *
2-13 WITNESSES
2-14 FOR AGAINST ON
2-15 ___________________________________________________________________
2-16 Name: Faye Thomas x
2-17 Representing: Tx Ambulance Assoc.
2-18 City: Dallas
2-19 -------------------------------------------------------------------
2-20 Name: Tom Duck x
2-21 Representing: Tx Rural Water Assn.
2-22 City: Austin
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