BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2034 By: Hamric 4-26-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, for an emergency service district, both the president and the treasurer must sign each check. There are occasions when either the president or the treasurer of the district is not able to attend the meetings and delays in funding for the contracting volunteer fire departments or ambulance service can occur. PURPOSE In the absence of the president or treasurer, this Act allows the vice president and assistant treasurer, respectively, to be signatories for the checks. In addition, this Act requires board approval only for expenditures over $2,000. This legislation tracks the current authorized signatures and expenditure approvals for Rural Fire Districts that appears in Chapter 794.073 of the Health and Safety Code. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 775.073 of the Health and Safety Code. Subsection (a) allows for the vice president to sign checks in the absence of the president and the assistant treasurer to countersign checks in the absence of the treasurer. Subsection (b) is amended to require that only expenditures over $2000 be approved by the board. SECTION 2. Emergency Clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION HB 2034 was considered by the County Affairs Committee in a public hearing on 4/26/95. The following person testified for HB 2034: Howard Katz, representing himself and the Harris County ESD 3,5 and 9 and Galveston County ESD 1. HB 2034 was reported favorably with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed and be sent to the Committee on Local and Consent Calendars, by the record vote of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 0 pnv, 3 absent.