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.