SRC-MKV H.B. 1612 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 1612
77R12467 MCK-DBy: Goolsby (Carona)
Business & Commerce
5/9/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) permit application
fees are required to be paid to the state in the form of a cashier's check
or money order. For TABC to move forward in ecommerce or other types of
actions involving the Internet, it is important for TABC to be able to
offer convenient forms of payment, including electronic payments. H.B. 1612
includes additional forms of payment among the types of acceptable payments
for permit application fees, and allows TABC to set a reasonable fee for
processing such payments.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage
Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 11.35, Alcoholic Beverage Code) of this
bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 11.35, Alcoholic Beverage Code, as follows:

Sec. 11.35.  PAYMENT OF FEE. (a)  Requires each permit application to be
accompanied by a cashier's check, a teller's check, a check drawn on the
account of a corporation applying for a permit, or a money order or payment
by credit card, charge card, or other electronic form of payment approved
by Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (commission) rule for the amount of
the state fee, payable to the order of the comptroller. 

 (b)  Authorizes the commission to set a processing fee in an amount that
is reasonably related to the expense incurred by the commission in
processing the electronic payment. 
 
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2001.