By Stiles                                             H.B. No. 3576

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 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.  Title 10, Subtitle D, Chapter 2176, Government

 1-5     Code is amended by adding new Subchapter E to read as follows:

 1-6                    SUBCHAPTER E.  SPECIAL MAIL SERVICES

 1-7           Sec. 2176.175.  USE OF CERTAIN MAILING SERVICES.

 1-8     Notwithstanding any requirements in state law to use certain

 1-9     mailing services, a state agency may, for the purpose of lowering

1-10     postal costs, utilize any form of mailing service available from

1-11     the United States Postal Service, provided such other service is

1-12     consistent with the level of accountability, timeliness, security,

1-13     and quality of service of mailing services otherwise specified in

1-14     state law.

1-15           Sec. 2176.176.  CHANGE OF ADDRESS SERVICES.  Notwithstanding

1-16     any requirements in state law regarding change of address updates,

1-17     a state agency may utilize any change of address update service

1-18     approved by the United States Postal Service for the purpose of

1-19     receiving a postal discount rate.

1-20           Sec. 2176.177.  NOTIFICATION OF SERVICE OPTIONS.  The

1-21     commission shall, as part of guidelines developed pursuant to

1-22     Section 2176.105 of this chapter, provide information to state

1-23     agencies about special mailing services offered by the United

1-24     States Postal Service.  The commission shall assist state agencies

 2-1     in determining which service to use consistent with agency needs

 2-2     for accountability, timeliness, security, and quality of service.

 2-3           SECTION 2.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  (a)  Section 2176.175 of the

 2-4     Government Code in Section 1 of this Act, takes effect on July 1,

 2-5     1997, the day on which the United States Post Office new mailing

 2-6     rates are issued.

 2-7           (b)  Section 2176.176 of the Government Code in Section 1 of

 2-8     this Act, takes effect immediately.

 2-9           (c)  Section 2176.177 of the Government Code in Section 1 of

2-10     this Act, takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-11           SECTION 3.  EMERGENCY.  The importance of this legislation

2-12     and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-13     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-14     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-15     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

2-16     and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its

2-17     terms, and it is so enacted.