1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to participation by community colleges in the state 1-3 employee charitable contribution program. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 659, Government Code, as 1-6 added by Chapter 76, Acts of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1-7 1995, is amended by adding Section 659.1311 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 659.1311. PUBLIC JUNIOR COLLEGES. (a) For purposes of 1-9 this subchapter, a public junior college is considered to be an 1-10 institution of higher education and employees of the public junior 1-11 college are considered to be state employees during a state fiscal 1-12 year unless an affirmative decision not to participate under this 1-13 subchapter is made by the governing board of the public junior 1-14 college not later than April 1 of the preceding state fiscal year. 1-15 (b) An employee of a public junior college that elects not 1-16 to participate in the state employee charitable contribution 1-17 program may authorize a deduction from the employee's salary or 1-18 wage payment for a charitable contribution as provided by the 1-19 policy of the governing board of the public junior college. 1-20 (c) Participation by an employee of a public junior college 1-21 under this section is voluntary. 1-22 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 1-23 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-1 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-2 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-3 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. _______________________________ _______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.B. No. 2491 was passed by the House on May 6, 1997, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. No. 2491 on May 29, 1997, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.B. No. 2491 was passed by the Senate, with amendments, on May 26, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. _______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: _____________________ Date _____________________ Governor