By George                                             H.B. No. 2664
         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 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           Section 51.946.  Student Debit Cards at Private or
 1-8     Independent Institutions of Higher Education (a)  The governing
 1-9     board of a private or independent institution of higher education
1-10     may establish a program to provide students enrolled at the
1-11     institution 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
 2-1     whom a debit card has been issued under the program for purchase of
 2-2     that merchandise or service.
 2-3           (d)  The private or independent institution of higher
 2-4     education, may assess participating businesses a fee sufficient to
 2-5     cover the cost of implementation and administration of this
 2-6     program.
 2-7           (e)  In this section:
 2-8                 (1)  "Private or independent institution of higher
 2-9     education" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
2-10                 (2)  "Person" has the meaning assigned by Section
2-11     1.201, Business & Commerce Code.
2-12           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-13     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-14     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-15     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-16     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-17     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-18     passage, and it is so enacted.