By:  Madla                                             S.B. No. 779
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to the payment of ad valorem taxes by electronic funds
 1-2     transfer.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 31.06, Tax Code, is
 1-5     amended to read as follows:
 1-6           (a)  Except as provided by Section 31.061, taxes are payable
 1-7     only in currency of the United States.  However, a collector may
 1-8     accept a check or money order in payment of taxes, and may accept
 1-9     payment by credit card or electronic funds transfer.  A collector
1-10     and a person may enter into an agreement under which the person
1-11     pays taxes by electronic funds transfer.  The agreement must:
1-12                 (1)  be in writing;
1-13                 (2)  be signed by the collector and the person; and
1-14                 (3)  specify the means or format of payment by
1-15     electronic funds transfer.
1-16           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-17     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-18     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-19     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-20     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-21     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-22     passage, and it is so enacted.