1-1  By:  Craddick (Senate Sponsor - Bivins)               H.B. No. 1475
    1-2        (In the Senate - Received from the House April 10, 1995;
    1-3  April 11, 1995, read first time and referred to Committee on
    1-4  Intergovernmental Relations; April 19, 1995, reported favorably by
    1-5  the following vote:  Yeas 10, Nays 0; April 19, 1995, sent to
    1-6  printer.)
    1-7                         A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-8                                AN ACT
    1-9  relating to counties authorized to employ a purchasing agent.
   1-10        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
   1-11        SECTION 1.  Section 262.0115, Local Government Code, is
   1-12  amended to read as follows:
   1-13        Sec. 262.0115.  PURCHASING AGENTS IN COUNTIES WITH POPULATION
   1-14  OF MORE THAN 100,000 <125,000>.  (a)  In a county with a population
   1-15  of more than 100,000 <125,000>, the commissioners court may employ
   1-16  a person to act as county purchasing agent.  However, this section
   1-17  does not apply to a county that has appointed a purchasing agent
   1-18  under Section 262.011 and that has not abolished the position as
   1-19  authorized by law.
   1-20        (b)  A purchasing agent employed under this section serves at
   1-21  the pleasure of the commissioners court.
   1-22        (c)  The commissioners court may employ other persons
   1-23  necessary to assist the purchasing agent in performing the agent's
   1-24  functions.
   1-25        (d)  Under the supervision of the commissioners court, the
   1-26  purchasing agent shall carry out the functions prescribed by law
   1-27  for the county auditor in regard to county purchases and contracts
   1-28  and shall administer the procedures prescribed by law for notice
   1-29  and public bidding for county purchases and contracts.
   1-30        (e)  A county that has established the position of county
   1-31  purchasing agent under this section may abolish the position at any
   1-32  time.  On the abolition of the position, the county auditor shall
   1-33  assume the functions previously performed by the purchasing agent.
   1-34        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-35  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-36  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-37  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-38  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   1-39  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   1-40  passage, and it is so enacted.
   1-41                               * * * * *