By:  Lindsay                                           S.B. No. 655

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the payment of fees and other charges to counties by

 1-2     credit card.

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

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 132.002, Local Government

 1-5     Code, is amended to read as follows:

 1-6           (a)  The commissioners court of a county may authorize a

 1-7     county or precinct officer who collects fees, fines, court costs,

 1-8     or other charges to[:]

 1-9                 [(1)]  accept payment by credit card of a fee, fine,

1-10     court cost, or other charge.  The commissioners court also may

1-11     authorize a county or precinct officer to[; and]

1-12                 [(2)]  collect a fee for processing the payment by

1-13     credit card.

1-14           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-15     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-16     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-17     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-18     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-19     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-20     passage, and it is so enacted.