1-1 By: Stiles (Senate Sponsor - Armbrister) H.B. No. 3576 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 15, 1997; 1-3 May 16, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on State 1-4 Affairs; May 18, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 12, Nays 0; May 18, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to state agencies' use of special mail services. 1-9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-10 SECTION 1. Chapter 2176, Government Code, is amended by 1-11 adding Subchapter E to read as follows: 1-12 SUBCHAPTER E. SPECIAL MAIL SERVICES 1-13 Sec. 2176.201. USE OF CERTAIN MAIL SERVICES. 1-14 Notwithstanding another law that requires the use of certain mail 1-15 services, a state agency may use any form of mail service available 1-16 from the United States Postal Service to lower postal costs 1-17 whenever acceptable levels of accountability, timeliness, security, 1-18 and quality of service can be maintained. 1-19 Sec. 2176.202. CHANGE OF ADDRESS SERVICE. Notwithstanding 1-20 another law regarding change of address updates, a state agency may 1-21 use any change of address update service approved by the United 1-22 States Postal Service for the purpose of receiving a postal 1-23 discount rate. 1-24 Sec. 2176.203. NOTIFICATION OF SERVICE OPTIONS. The 1-25 commission shall, as part of the guidelines developed under Section 1-26 2176.105, provide information to state agencies about special mail 1-27 services offered by the United States Postal Service. The 1-28 commission shall assist a state agency in determining which service 1-29 to use, considering the state agency's needs for accountability, 1-30 timeliness, security, and quality of service. 1-31 SECTION 2. (a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and 1-32 (c) of this section, this Act takes effect immediately. 1-33 (b) Section 2176.201, Government Code, as added by this Act, 1-34 takes effect July 1, 1997. 1-35 (c) Section 2176.203, Government Code, as added by this Act, 1-36 takes effect September 1, 1997. 1-37 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-38 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-39 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-40 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-41 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-42 and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its 1-43 terms, and it is so enacted. 1-44 * * * * *