BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2034 By: Hamric (Ellis) Intergovernmental Relations 5-22-95 Senate Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, for an emergency services district, both the president and the treasurer of the board of emergency services commissioners must sign each check. There are occasions in which either the president or the treasurer of the board is not able to attend the meetings, resulting in delays in funding for the contracting volunteer fire departments or ambulance service . PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 2034 authorizes an assistant treasurer and vice president of an emergency services district board to be signatories for checks disbursed from emergency services funds in the absence or unavailability of the treasurer or president, respectively; requires board approval only for expenditures over $2,000. 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, Health and Safety Code, as follows: Sec. 775.073. METHOD OF PAYMENT. Authorizes an assistant treasurer of the board of the emergency services commissioners (board) to sign a check disbursed from emergency services district funds if the treasurer is absent or unavailable. Authorizes the vice president of the board to sign a check disbursed from emergency services district funds if the president is absent or unavailable. (b) Prohibits an expenditure of more than $2,000 from being paid from tax money unless a sworn itemized account covering the expenditure is presented to the board and the board approves the expenditure. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.