By Patterson S.B. No. 325 74R2537 PB-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the payment of wages through electronic funds transfer. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Section 61.017, Labor Code, is amended to read as 1-5 follows: 1-6 Sec. 61.017. DELIVERY OF PAYMENT. (a) An employer shall 1-7 pay wages through a means authorized by this section. 1-8 (b) An employer may pay wages by: 1-9 (1) delivering them to the employee at the employee's 1-10 regular place of employment during regular employment hours; 1-11 (2) delivering them to the employee at a time and 1-12 place agreed on by the employer and employee; 1-13 (3) sending them to the employee by registered mail, 1-14 to be received by the employee not later than payday; 1-15 (4) delivering them in a manner similar to a manner 1-16 specified by Subdivision (1), (2), or (3) to a person designated by 1-17 the employee in writing; or 1-18 (5) delivering them to the employee by any reasonable 1-19 means authorized by the employee in writing. 1-20 (c) If an employee maintains an account that qualifies for 1-21 electronic funds transfer at a financial institution, an employer 1-22 may pay wages to that employee through the electronic transfer of 1-23 the wages to the employee's account. An employer that desires to 1-24 pay wages through electronic funds transfer shall: 2-1 (1) notify each affected employee that the employer is 2-2 adopting a direct-deposit payroll system; and 2-3 (2) obtain from the employee any information required 2-4 in order to make the transfer by the financial institution in which 2-5 the employee maintains the account. 2-6 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-11 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-12 passage, and it is so enacted.