By Longoria H.B. No. 2643 76R8563 JD-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the form of a proposal guaranty required from a 1-3 historically underutilized business for a highway improvement 1-4 contract of the Texas Department of Transportation. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 223, Transportation Code, 1-7 is amended by adding Section 223.014 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 223.014. HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS; FORM OF 1-9 PROPOSAL GUARANTY. (a) If as a condition of bidding for a highway 1-10 improvement contract the department by rule requires a proposal 1-11 guaranty in the form of a cashier's check, money order, or teller's 1-12 check drawn by or on a state or national bank, savings and loan 1-13 association, or state or federally chartered credit union, a bidder 1-14 that is a historically underutilized business is entitled to: 1-15 (1) receive a waiver of that requirement; and 1-16 (2) submit a bid bond issued by a surety authorized to 1-17 do business in this state in lieu of an instrument specified by 1-18 that rule. 1-19 (b) In this section, "historically underutilized business" 1-20 has the meaning assigned by Section 2161.001, Government Code. 1-21 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2000. 1-22 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.