1-1     By:  Hawley (Senate Sponsor - Truan)                   H.B. No. 574

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 8, 1997;

 1-3     May 9, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural

 1-4     Resources; May 16, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:

 1-5     Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 16, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to the fiscal administration of the San Patricio County

 1-9     Navigation District No. 1.

1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-11           SECTION 1.  TREASURER.  (a)  Section 62.073, Water Code,

1-12     notwithstanding, the commissioners of the San Patricio County

1-13     Navigation District No. 1 by resolution may appoint a qualified

1-14     individual or financial institution to serve as treasurer of the

1-15     district.

1-16           (b)  Except as provided by this Act, a district treasurer

1-17     appointed by the commissioners as authorized by this Act has the

1-18     powers and duties of a county treasurer under Chapter 62, Water

1-19     Code.

1-20           SECTION 2.  DISBURSEMENT OF MONEY.  (a)  Sections 62.152 and

1-21     62.153, Water Code, notwithstanding:

1-22                 (1)  the commissioners of the San Patricio County

1-23     Navigation District No. 1 by resolution may authorize one or more

1-24     persons in addition to the treasurer to sign a check, draft, order,

1-25     or other written instrument to disburse the district's money; and

1-26                 (2)  the district's money may be disbursed only by a

1-27     check, draft, order, or other instrument signed by the treasurer or

1-28     by another person or persons authorized by resolution of the

1-29     commissioners.

1-30           (b)  The commissioners of the San Patricio County Navigation

1-31     District No. 1 may limit the authority of a person authorized by

1-32     the commissioners under Subsection (a) to sign a check, draft,

1-33     order, or other instrument and may require the person to furnish a

1-34     fidelity bond in an amount specified by the commissioners.

1-35           SECTION 3.  TRANSITION.  (a)  Until the commissioners of the

1-36     San Patricio Navigation District No. 1 appoint a district treasurer

1-37     as authorized by Section 1 of this Act and that person has executed

1-38     any bond required by Section 62.074, Water Code, the San Patricio

1-39     County treasurer is the district treasurer and has the powers and

1-40     duties of a county treasurer acting as district treasurer under

1-41     Chapter 62, Water Code.

1-42           (b)  Immediately after the commissioners of the San Patricio

1-43     Navigation District No. 1 have appointed a district treasurer as

1-44     authorized by Section 1 of this Act and the treasurer has executed

1-45     any bond required by Section 62.074, Water Code, the San Patricio

1-46     County treasurer shall transfer to the district treasurer the

1-47     district's funds.

1-48           SECTION 4.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect September

1-49     1, 1997.

1-50           SECTION 5.  EMERGENCY.  The importance of this legislation

1-51     and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-52     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-53     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-54     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

1-55                                  * * * * *