1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a going out of business sale.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 17.83(a), Business & Commerce Code, is
 1-5     amended to read as follows:
 1-6           (a)  To conduct a going out of business sale, a person must
 1-7     file an original inventory with the chief appraiser [county clerk]
 1-8     of the appraisal district [county] in which the person's principal
 1-9     place of business in the state is located.  The original inventory
1-10     must be accompanied by a filing fee of $20.
1-11           SECTION 2.  Subchapter F, Chapter 17, Business & Commerce
1-12     Code, is amended by adding Section 17.835 to read as follows:
1-13           Sec. 17.835.  NOTICE OF FILING OF ORIGINAL INVENTORY. Not
1-14     later than the fifth business day after the date on which a person
1-15     files an original inventory under Section 17.83, the chief
1-16     appraiser shall send notice of the filing to the comptroller, the
1-17     county clerk of the county in which the person's principal place of
1-18     business in the state is located, and the tax collector for each of
1-19     the taxing units that tax the property described in the original
1-20     inventory.
1-21           SECTION 3.  Section 17.84(a), Business & Commerce Code, is
1-22     amended to read as follows:
1-23           (a)  After receiving an original inventory, the chief
1-24     appraiser [county clerk] shall issue to the applicant a permit for
 2-1     a going out of business sale.  The permit is valid for 120 days
 2-2     after the day that it is issued and is not renewable.
 2-3           SECTION 4.  Section 17.86, Business & Commerce Code, is
 2-4     amended to read as follows:
 2-5           Sec. 17.86.  SALE INVENTORY. Before the end of each 30-day
 2-6     period during the going out of business sale the permit holder
 2-7     shall file with the chief appraiser [county clerk] a sale inventory
 2-8     containing a complete and detailed list of the goods, wares, and
 2-9     merchandise listed in the original inventory that have not been
2-10     sold before the date that the sale inventory is filed.  A sale
2-11     inventory must list items offered on the beginning date of the sale
2-12     separately from the items added to the sale inventory after that
2-13     date.
2-14           SECTION 5.  Section 17.87, Business & Commerce Code, is
2-15     amended to read as follows:
2-16           Sec. 17.87.  FINAL INVENTORY. Within 30 days after the day
2-17     that the going out of business sale ends, the permit holder shall
2-18     file with the chief appraiser [county clerk] a final inventory.
2-19     The final inventory must include:
2-20                 (1)  the name and address of the permit holder;
2-21                 (2)  a statement of the disposition of the items listed
2-22     in the original inventory that were not sold during the going out
2-23     of business sale and the name and address of any person purchasing
2-24     those items after the ending date of the sale; and
2-25                 (3)  a description of the place where the sale was
2-26     held.
2-27           SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and
 3-1     applies only to a going out of business sale for which an original
 3-2     inventory is filed on or after the effective date of this Act.  A
 3-3     going out of business sale for which an original inventory is filed
 3-4     before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
 3-5     effect on the date that the inventory is filed, and the former law
 3-6     is continued in effect for that purpose.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 394 was passed by the House on March
         29, 2001, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 394 was passed by the Senate on May
         10, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays 0, 1 present, not
         voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  __________________________
                              Date
                    __________________________
                            Governor