SRC-JEC S.B. 1474 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1474
By: Ogden
Intergovernmental Relations
4/19/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, cities must charge a fee for accepting fine or fee
payments by credit card.  Counties, however, are allowed to collect via
credit card without charging a fee.  As proposed, S.B. 1474 adds a
provision to authorize a city to collect by credit card without charging a
fee, to further a city's effort to provide efficient electronic government. 

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 132.002, Local Government Code, to authorize the
governing body of a municipality to authorize the acceptance of payment by
credit card or by electronic means without requiring collection of a fee. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.