73R4998 LJD-D
          By Holzheauser                                        H.B. No. 2134
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to payroll deductions for Department of Public Safety
    1-3  employees.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Section 403.0166 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 403.0166.  PAYROLL DEDUCTION FOR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
    1-8  SAFETY EMPLOYEES.  (a)  An employee of the Department of Public
    1-9  Safety may authorize in writing a transfer each pay period from the
   1-10  employee's salary or wage payment to a deposit account of the
   1-11  employee at an eligible credit union.  The written authorization
   1-12  shall remain in effect until an employee, in writing, authorizes a
   1-13  change in the authorization.  The amount authorized for transfer
   1-14  may be a portion of the amount received by the employee for the pay
   1-15  period.
   1-16        (b)  The comptroller by rule shall establish an annual
   1-17  transfer authorization period and shall adopt rules for transfers
   1-18  by employees to certified eligible credit unions.
   1-19        (c)  Participation by employees of the department in the
   1-20  payroll deduction program authorized by this section is voluntary.
   1-21        (d)  To be certified by the comptroller, a credit union must
   1-22  be authorized to do business in this state and have been operating
   1-23  in this state for a period of at least 18 months.
   1-24        (e)  A credit union not previously certified may submit an
    2-1  application for certification as an eligible credit union to the
    2-2  comptroller within 90 days prior to the beginning of the fiscal
    2-3  year.
    2-4        (f)  The comptroller may approve an application under
    2-5  Subsection (e) if a credit union demonstrates to the satisfaction
    2-6  of the comptroller that it qualifies as an eligible credit union by
    2-7  providing the documentation required by this section and applicable
    2-8  rules adopted by the comptroller.
    2-9        (g)  The comptroller shall charge an administrative fee to
   2-10  cover the costs incurred as a result of administering this section.
   2-11  Administrative fees shall be paid by each qualifying credit union
   2-12  on a pro rata basis to be determined by the comptroller.  The
   2-13  comptroller by rule shall determine the most efficient and
   2-14  effective method of collecting the administrative fees.  The
   2-15  comptroller shall adopt rules for the administration of this
   2-16  subsection.
   2-17        (h)  The comptroller shall allocate the administrative fees
   2-18  on a proportional basis to the comptroller and the department for
   2-19  costs incurred in administering this section.
   2-20        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-21  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-22  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-23  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-24  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   2-25  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   2-26  passage, and it is so enacted.