By Maxey                                              H.B. No. 2473
         76R3482 JJT-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the centralization of certain state agency revenue and
 1-3     cash processing functions.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 403, Government Code, is amended by
 1-6     adding Subchapter N to read as follows:
 1-7            SUBCHAPTER N.  CENTRALIZATION OF STATE AGENCY REVENUE
 1-8                             AND CASH PROCESSING
 1-9           Sec. 403.351.  DEFINITION.  In this subchapter, "state
1-10     agency" has the meaning assigned by Section 403.013.
1-11           Sec. 403.352.  EVALUATION OF REVENUE PROCESSING FUNCTIONS.
1-12     (a)  The comptroller shall evaluate the revenue processing and cash
1-13     processing functions of state agencies that collect revenue and
1-14     that have a volume of monetary transactions great enough that a
1-15     system to centrally process any part of the transactions is likely
1-16     to realize cost savings to the state.  For each agency evaluated,
1-17     the comptroller shall determine:
1-18                 (1)  the most efficient and cost-effective technology
1-19     and business practices for processing the state agency's monetary
1-20     transactions; and
1-21                 (2)  technology and practices likely to simplify or
1-22     ease the state agency's monetary transactions with members of the
1-23     public.
1-24           (b)  The comptroller shall consider any practical option for
 2-1     processing the state agency's monetary transactions or information
 2-2     related to the transactions, including:
 2-3                 (1)  the use of the Internet or other forms of
 2-4     transmission of information;
 2-5                 (2)  the entry of payment information using digital
 2-6     imaging;
 2-7                 (3)  automated clearing of debits and credits;
 2-8                 (4)  lockbox processing or similar processing methods;
 2-9                 (5)  the outsourcing of any activity or function; and
2-10                 (6)  credit or debit card technology, electronic
2-11     checks, and other point-of-sale technology.
2-12           Sec. 403.353.  COOPERATION BY STATE AGENCIES.  A state agency
2-13     shall fully cooperate with the comptroller in making the evaluation
2-14     or implementing a plan under this section.  A state agency shall
2-15     share with the comptroller any relevant information at no cost.
2-16           Sec. 403.354.  CENTRALIZATION OR REDESIGN OF REVENUE
2-17     PROCESSING.  (a)  If the comptroller determines that changing a
2-18     state agency's system of processing monetary transactions is likely
2-19     to result in a significant net savings to the state, the
2-20     comptroller and the agency shall develop and implement a plan for
2-21     the agency to adopt technology and business practices the
2-22     comptroller recommends under this section.  The plan may include
2-23     the comptroller's assuming responsibility for processing the
2-24     agency's monetary transactions or related information as part of a
2-25     central processing program for state agency monetary transactions.
2-26           (b)  If a plan results in the comptroller's assumption of a
2-27     state agency's functions, the agency shall retain responsibility
 3-1     for records management, enforcement, and delivery of services.
 3-2           Sec. 403.355.  RULES.  The comptroller by rule may establish
 3-3     payment requirements for any state agency monetary transaction
 3-4     processed by the comptroller or a central processing program the
 3-5     comptroller establishes, including rules regarding:
 3-6                 (1)  payment due dates;
 3-7                 (2)  postmark dates on payments made by mail; or
 3-8                 (3)  standard forms or methods of payment.
 3-9           Sec. 403.356.  RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS.  (a)  The
3-10     comptroller may recommend changes to statutes or agency rules
3-11     necessary to reduce costs that the state incurs for state agency
3-12     monetary transactions.
3-13           (b)  The comptroller shall report to the legislature the
3-14     estimated reduction in an agency's budget and net savings to the
3-15     state expected from changes in a state agency's processing of
3-16     monetary transactions or related information under a plan developed
3-17     under this subchapter.  The report must be made together with the
3-18     comptroller's legislative appropriations request.
3-19           SECTION 2.  On the effective date of this Act, the
3-20     comptroller shall begin an evaluation, under Subchapter N,
3-21     Government Code, as added by this Act, of the processing of
3-22     driver's license fee payments by the Department of Public Safety of
3-23     the State of Texas.  If the comptroller determines that changes in
3-24     the processing of those payments would reduce costs to the state,
3-25     the comptroller and the department shall develop and implement a
3-26     plan to make the comptroller's recommended changes in the then
3-27     current fiscal year.
 4-1           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 4-2           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
 4-3     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 4-4     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 4-5     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 4-6     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.