H.B. No. 3122 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to debit cards provided to students of public institutions 1-3 of higher education. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 51.940 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 51.940. STUDENT DEBIT CARDS. (a) This section applies 1-8 only to: 1-9 (1) an institution that is a component of The Texas 1-10 A&M University System; or 1-11 (2) an institution that is a component of the Texas 1-12 State University System. 1-13 (b) The governing board of an institution of higher 1-14 education to which this section applies may establish a program to 1-15 provide students enrolled at the institution with a debit card. 1-16 (c) A student issued a debit card under the program may use 1-17 the card to purchase merchandise or service available through the 1-18 institution or through a person authorized to sell merchandise or 1-19 service at the institution, as determined by the governing board. 1-20 (d) The program must allow a person who is in business to 1-21 sell merchandise or service of the same kind as the merchandise or 1-22 service that a student may purchase under Subsection (c) to 1-23 participate in the program under the same or equivalent terms 2-1 applicable to a person authorized to sell merchandise under 2-2 Subsection (c) and accept a debit card payment from a student to 2-3 whom a debit card has been issued under the program for purchase of 2-4 that merchandise or service. 2-5 (e) An institution of higher education may not administer or 2-6 sponsor a debit card program for students of the institution that 2-7 does not conform to this section. 2-8 (f) In this section: 2-9 (1) "Governing board" and "institution of higher 2-10 education" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003. 2-11 (2) "Person" has the meaning assigned by Section 2-12 1.201, Business & Commerce Code. 2-13 (g) A student debit card program offered by an institution 2-14 of higher education must comply with this section not later than 2-15 August 15, 1996. This subsection expires January 1, 1997. 2-16 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-21 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-22 passage, and it is so enacted.