By Torres                                             H.B. No. 1304
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the management of petty cash in counties with a
    1-3  population  greater than 2,000,000.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 130, Local Government Code,
    1-6  is amended by adding Section 130.909 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 130.909.  PETTY CASH FUNDS IN COUNTY WITH POPULATION OF
    1-8  MORE THAN 2,000,000.  (a)  The commissioners court of a county with
    1-9  a population of 2,000,000 or more may set aside from the general
   1-10  fund of the county an amount approved by the county auditor for the
   1-11  establishment of a petty cash fund for any county or district
   1-12  official or department head approved by the commissioners court.
   1-13  The petty cash fund must be established under a system provided and
   1-14  installed by the county auditor and the county purchasing agent
   1-15  with reports to be made to the auditor and the purchasing agent as
   1-16  the auditor and/or purchasing agent require.
   1-17        (b)  The bond of that county or district official or
   1-18  department head who receives such a petty cash fund must cover the
   1-19  official's responsibility for the correct accounting and
   1-20  disposition of the petty cash fund.
   1-21        (c)  The petty cash fund may not be used to make loans or
   1-22  advances or to cash checks or warrants of any kind.
   1-23        (d)  On the recommendation of the county auditor, the
   1-24  commissioners court may increase or decrease the petty cash fund at
    2-1  any time.
    2-2        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-3  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-4  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-5  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-6  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.