1-1     By:  Hawley (Senate Sponsor - Bernsen)                H.B. No. 2247
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 7, 1999;
 1-3     May 10, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on State
 1-4     Affairs; May 13, 1999, rereferred to Committee on Administration;
 1-5     May 14, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 3,
 1-6     Nays 0; May 14, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-8                                   AN ACT
 1-9     relating to the method of payment of fees for goods sold or
1-10     services provided by the Texas Department of Transportation or for
1-11     the administration of Texas Department of Transportation programs.
1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13           SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 201, Transportation Code,
1-14     is amended by adding Section 201.208 to read as follows:
1-15           Sec. 201.208.  PAYMENT OF FEES FOR DEPARTMENT GOODS AND
1-16     SERVICES.  (a)  The commission may adopt rules regarding the method
1-17     of payment of a fee for any goods sold or services provided by the
1-18     department or for the administration of any department program.
1-19           (b)  Goods sold and services provided include the sale of
1-20     travel promotional materials and department publications and the
1-21     issuance of licenses, permits, and registrations.
1-22           (c)  The rules may:
1-23                 (1)  authorize the use of electronic funds transfer or
1-24     valid credit card issued by a financial institution chartered by a
1-25     state or the United States or by a nationally recognized credit
1-26     organization approved by the department; and
1-27                 (2)  require the payment of a discount or service
1-28     charge for a credit card payment in addition to the fee.
1-29           (d)  Revenue generated from payments of discount or service
1-30     charges under Subsection (c) shall be deposited in the state
1-31     highway fund.
1-32           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-33     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-34     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-35     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-36     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-37     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-38     passage, and it is so enacted.
1-39                                  * * * * *