By Hawley                                              H.B. No. 574

         75R3122 MI-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the fiscal administration of the San Patricio County

 1-3     Navigation District No. 1.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  TREASURER.  (a)  Section 62.073, Water Code,

 1-6     notwithstanding, the commissioners of the San Patricio County

 1-7     Navigation District No. 1 by resolution may appoint a qualified

 1-8     individual or financial institution to serve as treasurer of the

 1-9     district.

1-10           (b)  Except as provided by this Act, a district treasurer

1-11     appointed by the commissioners as authorized by this Act has the

1-12     powers and duties of a county treasurer under Chapter 62, Water

1-13     Code.

1-14           SECTION 2.  DISBURSEMENT OF MONEY.  (a)  Sections 62.152 and

1-15     62.153, Water Code, notwithstanding:

1-16                 (1)  the commissioners of the San Patricio County

1-17     Navigation District No. 1 by resolution may authorize one or more

1-18     persons in addition to the treasurer to sign a check, draft, order,

1-19     or other written instrument to disburse the district's money; and

1-20                 (2)  the district's money may be disbursed only by a

1-21     check, draft, order, or other instrument signed by the treasurer or

1-22     by another person or persons authorized by resolution of the

1-23     commissioners.

1-24           (b)  The commissioners of the San Patricio County Navigation

 2-1     District No. 1 may limit the authority of a person authorized by

 2-2     the commissioners under Subsection (a) to sign a check, draft,

 2-3     order, or other instrument and may require the person to furnish a

 2-4     fidelity bond in an amount specified by the commissioners.

 2-5           SECTION 3.  TRANSITION.  (a)  Until the commissioners of the

 2-6     San Patricio Navigation District No. 1 appoint a district treasurer

 2-7     as authorized by Section 1 of this Act and that person has executed

 2-8     any bond required by Section 62.074, Water Code, the San Patricio

 2-9     County treasurer is the district treasurer and has the powers and

2-10     duties of a county treasurer acting as district treasurer under

2-11     Chapter 62, Water Code.

2-12           (b)  Immediately after the commissioners of the San Patricio

2-13     Navigation District No. 1 have appointed a district treasurer as

2-14     authorized by Section 1 of this Act and the treasurer has executed

2-15     any bond required by Section 62.074, Water Code, the San Patricio

2-16     County treasurer shall transfer to the district treasurer the

2-17     district's funds.

2-18           SECTION 4.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect September

2-19     1, 1997.

2-20           SECTION 5.  EMERGENCY.  The importance of this legislation

2-21     and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-22     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-23     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-24     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.