By Turner S.B. No. 1651 74R9102 JSA-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 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) The governing board 1-8 of an institution of higher education may establish a program to 1-9 provide students enrolled at the institution with a debit card. 1-10 (b) A student issued a debit card under the program may use 1-11 the card to purchase merchandise or service available through the 1-12 institution or through a person authorized to sell merchandise or 1-13 service at the institution, as determined by the governing board. 1-14 (c) The program must allow a person who is in business to 1-15 sell merchandise or service of the same kind as the merchandise or 1-16 service that a student may purchase under Subsection (b) to 1-17 participate in the program and accept a debit card payment from a 1-18 student to whom a debit card has been issued under the program for 1-19 purchase of that merchandise or service. 1-20 (d) An institution of higher education may not administer or 1-21 sponsor a debit card program for students of the institution that 1-22 does not conform to this section. 1-23 (e) In this section: 1-24 (1) "Governing board" and "institution of higher 2-1 education" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003. 2-2 (2) "Person" has the meaning assigned by Section 2-3 1.201, Business & Commerce Code. 2-4 (f) A student debit card program offered by an institution 2-5 of higher education must comply with this section not later than 2-6 August 15, 1996. This subsection expires January 1, 1997. 2-7 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-8 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-9 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-10 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-11 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-12 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-13 passage, and it is so enacted.