By Torres                                             H.B. No. 1304
       74R5784 PAM-F
                                 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 of 2,000,000 or more.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 130, Local Government Code, is amended by
    1-6  adding Section 130.909 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 130.909.  PETTY CASH FUNDS IN COUNTIES WITH POPULATION
    1-8  OF 2,000,000 OR MORE.  (a)  The commissioners court of a county
    1-9  with a population of 2,000,000 or more may set aside from the
   1-10  general fund of the county an amount approved by the county auditor
   1-11  for the establishment of a petty cash fund for any county or
   1-12  district official.  The petty cash fund must be established under a
   1-13  system provided and installed by the county auditor and the county
   1-14  purchasing agent with reports to be made to the auditor and the
   1-15  purchasing agent as the auditor and purchasing agent require or the
   1-16  auditor or purchasing agent requires.
   1-17        (b)  The bond of that county or district official who
   1-18  receives the petty cash fund must cover the official's
   1-19  responsibility for the correct accounting and disposition of the
   1-20  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.