SRC-JEC H.B. 2185 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 2185
By: Goolsby (Carona)
Intergovernmental Relations
5/4/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Certain statutes require a county to charge a fee to accept a payment via
credit card.  H.B. 2185 authorizes, rather than requires, a county tax
assessor-collector to collect such a fee. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency.  

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 130.0045, Local Government Code, to authorize,
rather than require, a county tax assessor-collector to collect a fee for
processing a credit card invoice as conditional payment of a fee or tax.
Requires the assessor-collector, rather than collector, to set a fee
collected under this section in an amount that is reasonably related to the
expense incurred in processing the invoice, not to exceed five percent of
the amount of the fee or tax. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 31.06(c), Tax Code, to authorize, rather than
require, a collector to collect a fee for processing a tax payment by
credit card. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.