76R10266 JSA-F                           
         By George                                             H.B. No. 2664
         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2664:
         By Farabee                                        C.S.H.B. No. 2664
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to authorizing private or independent institutions of
 1-3     higher education to operate a student debit card program.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 51.946 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 51.946.  STUDENT DEBIT CARDS AT PRIVATE OR INDEPENDENT
 1-8     INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.  (a)  The governing board of a
 1-9     private or independent institution of higher education may
1-10     establish a program to provide students enrolled at the institution
1-11     with a debit card.
1-12           (b)  A student issued a debit card under the program may use
1-13     the card to purchase merchandise or service available through the
1-14     institution or through a person authorized to sell merchandise or
1-15     service at the institution, as determined by the governing board.
1-16           (c)  The program may allow a person who is in business to
1-17     sell merchandise or service of the same kind as the merchandise or
1-18     service that a student may purchase under Subsection (b) to
1-19     participate in the program under the same or equivalent terms
1-20     applicable to a person authorized to sell merchandise under
1-21     Subsection (b) and accept a debit card payment from a student to
1-22     whom a debit card has been issued under the program for purchase of
1-23     that merchandise or service.
1-24           (d)  The private or independent institution of higher
 2-1     education may assess participating businesses a fee for the
 2-2     implementation and administration of the program.
 2-3           (e)  In this section:
 2-4                 (1)  "Private or independent institution of higher
 2-5     education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
 2-6                 (2)  "Person" has the meaning assigned by Section
 2-7     1.201, Business & Commerce Code.
 2-8           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-9     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-10     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-11     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-12     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-13     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-14     passage, and it is so enacted.