1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to state agencies' use of special mail services.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 2176, Government Code, is amended by

 1-5     adding Subchapter E to read as follows:

 1-6                    SUBCHAPTER E.  SPECIAL MAIL SERVICES

 1-7           Sec. 2176.201.  USE OF CERTAIN MAIL SERVICES.

 1-8     Notwithstanding another law that requires the use of certain mail

 1-9     services, a state agency may use any form of mail service available

1-10     from the United States Postal Service to lower postal costs

1-11     whenever acceptable levels of accountability, timeliness, security,

1-12     and quality of service can be maintained.

1-13           Sec. 2176.202.  CHANGE OF ADDRESS SERVICE.  Notwithstanding

1-14     another law regarding change of address updates, a state agency may

1-15     use any change of address update service approved by the United

1-16     States Postal Service for the purpose of receiving a postal

1-17     discount rate.

1-18           Sec. 2176.203.  NOTIFICATION OF SERVICE OPTIONS.  The

1-19     commission shall, as part of the guidelines developed under Section

1-20     2176.105, provide information to state agencies about special mail

1-21     services offered by the United States Postal Service.  The

1-22     commission shall assist a state agency in determining which service

1-23     to use, considering the state agency's needs for accountability,

1-24     timeliness, security, and quality of service.

 2-1           SECTION 2.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsections (b) and

 2-2     (c) of this section, this Act takes effect immediately.

 2-3           (b)  Section 2176.201, Government Code, as added by this Act,

 2-4     takes effect July 1, 1997.

 2-5           (c)  Section 2176.203, Government Code, as added by this Act,

 2-6     takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-7           SECTION 3.  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 according to its

2-13     terms, and it is so enacted.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 3576 was passed by the House on May

         14, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 141, Nays 0, 1 present, not

         voting.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 3576 was passed by the Senate on May

         26, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor