By King of Uvalde                                     H.B. No. 2429
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the method of payment for vendors by the Comptroller of
 1-3     Public Accounts.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code,
 1-6     amends Section 403.016(c)(3) to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 403.016.  Electronic Funds Transfer.  (c)  The
 1-8     comptroller shall use the electronic funds transfer system to make:
 1-9                 (1)  payments of more than $100 to annuitants by the
1-10     Employees Retirement System of Texas or the Teacher Retirement
1-11     System of Texas under either system's administrative jurisdiction;
1-12                 (2)  recurring payments to municipalities, counties,
1-13     political subdivisions, special districts, and other governmental
1-14     entities of this state; and
1-15                 (3)  payments to vendors who choose to use the
1-16     electronic funds transfer rather than a warrant system of payment.
1-17           SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is
1-18     amended by adding Section 403.016(h)(1)(D) to read as follows:
1-19           Sec. 403.016.  Electronic Funds Transfer.  (h)
1-20     Notwithstanding any requirement in this section to make a payment
1-21     through the electronic funds transfer system, the comptroller shall
 2-1     issue a warrant to pay a person if:
 2-2                 (1)  the person properly notifies the comptroller that:
 2-3                       (A)  receiving the payment by electronic funds
 2-4     transfer would be impractical to the person;
 2-5                       (B)  receiving the payment by electronic funds
 2-6     transfer would be more costly to the person than receiving the
 2-7     payment by warrant; or
 2-8                       (C)  the person is unable to establish a
 2-9     qualifying account at a financial institution to receive electronic
2-10     funds transfers; or
2-11                       (D)  the person chooses to receive the payment by
2-12     warrant.
2-13           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-14     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-15     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-16     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-17     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-18     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-19     passage, and it is so enacted.