By:  Cain                                              S.B. No. 659
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to authorizing certain state agencies and state employees
 1-2     to participate in charitable activities.
 1-3           SECTION 1.  Chapter 493, Government Code, is amended by
 1-4     adding Section 493.023 to read as follows:
 1-5           Sec. 493.023.  CHARITABLE FUND-RAISING.  (a)  Under policies
 1-6     established by the department, a department employee is entitled to
 1-7     participate in fund-raising activities conducted on department
 1-8     property for the benefit of an eligible charitable organization.
 1-9     The department shall adopt policies under this section which
1-10     address:
1-11                 (1)  minimum qualifications of eligible charitable
1-12     organizations;
1-13                 (2)  limitations on the use of funds;
1-14                 (3)  handling and distribution of the proceeds of
1-15     fund-raising activity to eligible charitable organizations located
1-16     in the county where the fund-raising takes place; and
1-17                 (4)  ensuring that participation in fund-raising is
1-18     voluntary and not coercive.
1-19           (b)  Funds collected under this section are not subject to
1-20     Section 404.094.
1-21           (c)  Policies adopted under this section may not affect the
1-22     department's participation in the state employees charitable
1-23     campaign under Subchapter H, Chapter 659.
1-24           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-1           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-2     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-3     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-4     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-5     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.