SRC-JXG S.B. 206 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 206 76R1861 GCH-DBy: Moncrief Human Services 2/15/1999 As Filed DIGEST Currently, Texas law does not provide a general revenue account for donated funds from the Blindness Education, Screening, and Treatment Program (BESTP). S.B. 1403, 75th Legislature, created BESTP to be funded through a voluntary $1 checkoff at the time a person applies for or renews a state driver's license; however, S.B. 1403 did not create a dedicated account to serve as a destination for donated funds. This bill would create a general revenue account for donated funds for BESTP. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 206 creates a general revenue account for donated funds from the Blindness Education, Screening, and Treatment Program. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 91.027, Human Resources Code, by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d), to require the Texas Commission for the Blind (commission) to implement the Blindness Education, Screening, and Treatment Program (BESTP) program from the BESTP account, rather than Section 521.421(f), Transportation Code. Provides that the BESTP account is in the general revenue fund. Provides that the account consists of fees collected, and gifts and grants given to the commission from any source for the purpose of the program. Authorizes money in the account to be appropriated only to the commission for the purpose of administering the program. SECTION 2. Amends Section 521.421(f), Transportation Code, as added by Chapter 510, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997, to require the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to remit fees collected to the Comptroller of Public Accounts for deposit to the credit of the BESTP account. SECTION 3. Amends Section 521.422(b), Transportation Code, to require the DPS to remit fees collected to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the BESTP account. SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 5. Emergency clause.