By Chavez                                       H.B. No. 2515

      75R8482 CBH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the provision of information relating to historically

 1-3     underutilized businesses to certain persons.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 151, Tax Code, is amended

 1-6     by adding Section 151.206 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 151.206.  INFORMATION RELATING TO HISTORICALLY

 1-8     UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES.  (a)  The comptroller shall provide to

 1-9     each applicant for a sales  tax permit or for registration as a

1-10     retailer under Section 151.106 information relating to eligibility

1-11     for, application for, and advantages of certification as a

1-12     historically underutilized business under Chapter 2161, Government

1-13     Code.  In addition, the comptroller shall send the information to

1-14     each person who holds a sales tax permit or is registered as a

1-15     retailer under Section 151.106 at least twice each year.  The

1-16     information may be included in or with other information sent to

1-17     retailers under this chapter.

1-18           (b)  On request from an applicant or retailer, the

1-19     comptroller shall provide to the person any forms or other

1-20     paperwork necessary for certification as a historically

1-21     underutilized business under Chapter 2161, Government Code.  A

1-22     person may return the forms or other paperwork to the comptroller.

1-23     The comptroller shall immediately  submit the forms or other

1-24     paperwork to the General Services Commission for processing.

 2-1           (c)  The comptroller shall work with the General Services

 2-2     Commission to implement this section.

 2-3           (d)  In this section, "historically underutilized business"

 2-4     has the meaning assigned by Section 2161.001, Government Code.

 2-5           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-6           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.