By:  Ellis                                            S.B. No. 1798
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to agency rules affecting micro-businesses.
 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-3           SECTION 1.  Section 2006.001, Government Code, is amended to
 1-4     read as follows:
 1-5           Sec. 2006.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
 1-6                 (1)  "Micro-business" means a legal entity, including a
 1-7     corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship, that:
 1-8                       (A)  is formed for the purpose of making a
 1-9     profit;
1-10                       (B)  is independently owned and operated; and
1-11                       (C)  has not more than 20 employees.
1-12                 (2)  "Small business" means a legal entity, including a
1-13     corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship, that:
1-14                       (A)  is formed for the purpose of making a
1-15     profit;
1-16                       (B)  is independently owned and operated; and
1-17                       (C)  has fewer than 100 employees or less than $1
1-18     million in annual gross receipts.
1-19                 (3) [(2)]  "State agency" means a department, board,
1-20     bureau, commission, division, office, council, or other agency of
1-21     the state.
1-22           SECTION 2.  Sections 2006.002(a) and (f), Government Code,
 2-1     are amended to read as follows:
 2-2           (a)  A state agency considering adoption of a rule that would
 2-3     have an adverse economic effect on small businesses or
 2-4     micro-businesses shall reduce that effect if doing so is legal and
 2-5     feasible considering the purpose of the statute under which the
 2-6     rule is to be adopted.
 2-7           (f)  To reduce an adverse effect of rules on
 2-8     micro-businesses, a state agency shall [may] adopt provisions
 2-9     concerning micro-businesses that are uniform with [similar to]
2-10     those outlined in Subsections (b)-(d) [Subsection (b)] for small
2-11     business.
2-12           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-13           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-14     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-15     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-16     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-17     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.