By Ellis S.B. No. 844 74R5939 CLG-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the creation of the office of access to financial 1-3 services within The Finance Commission of Texas. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter I, The Texas Banking Code (Article 1-6 342-101 et seq., Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by 1-7 adding Article 11D to read as follows: 1-8 Art. 11D. OFFICE OF ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SERVICES. (a) The 1-9 office of access to financial services is created in the Finance 1-10 Commission to inform, monitor, and report about the availability 1-11 and quality of financial services, including lending and depository 1-12 services, offered by financial institutions in the state to 1-13 agricultural businesses, small businesses, and individual consumers 1-14 in the state. 1-15 (b) The office shall be headed by a financial services 1-16 counsel appointed by the Finance Commission. 1-17 (c) The Finance Commission shall adequately staff the office 1-18 to carry out the office's functions under this article. 1-19 (d) The office shall: 1-20 (1) conduct research on the availability, quality, and 1-21 prices of financial services, including lending and depository 1-22 services, offered by financial institutions in the state to 1-23 agricultural businesses, small businesses, and individual consumers 1-24 in the state; and 2-1 (2) conduct research on the practices of business 2-2 entities in the state that provide financial services to 2-3 agricultural businesses, small businesses, and individual consumers 2-4 in the state. 2-5 (e) The office shall prepare information of public interest 2-6 describing the functions of the office. The office shall make the 2-7 information available to the public and appropriate state and 2-8 federal agencies. 2-9 (f) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, 2-10 the office shall provide to the legislature a report detailing the 2-11 findings of the office and recommending any action the office 2-12 believes is necessary to enhance the availability and quality of 2-13 financial services offered by business entities in the state to 2-14 agricultural businesses, small businesses, and individual consumers 2-15 in the state. 2-16 SECTION 2. The Finance Commission of Texas shall appoint the 2-17 financial services counsel as required by Article 11D, Chapter I, 2-18 The Texas Banking Code (Article 342-101 et seq., Vernon's Texas 2-19 Civil Statutes), as added by this Act, not later than November 1, 2-20 1995. 2-21 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 2-22 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-25 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-26 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.