1-1     By:  Brown of Brazos (Senate Sponsor - Ogden)         H.B. No. 3162
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 30, 2001;
 1-3     May 1, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-4     Intergovernmental Relations; May 10, 2001, reported favorably by
 1-5     the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 10, 2001, sent to
 1-6     printer.)
 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-8                                   AN ACT
 1-9     relating to the payment of fees or costs to certain political
1-10     subdivisions by credit card.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1. Section 132.002, Local Government Code, is amended
1-13     by adding a new Subsection (c) and relettering current Subsections
1-14     (c) and (d) as Subsections (d) and (e) to read as follows:
1-15           (c)  The governing body of a municipality may authorize the
1-16     acceptance of payment by credit card without requiring collection
1-17     of a fee.
1-18           (d)  The commissioners court may authorize a county or
1-19     precinct officer who collects fees, fines, court costs, or other
1-20     charges on behalf of the county or the state to accept payment by
1-21     electronic means of a fee, fine, court costs, or other charge.  The
1-22     commissioners court may also authorize a county or precinct officer
1-23     to collect and retain a handling fee for processing the payment by
1-24     electronic means.
1-25           (e) [(d)]  A commissioners court may authorize the acceptance
1-26     of payment by credit card or by electronic means without requiring
1-27     collection of a fee.
1-28           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-29     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-30     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-31     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-32     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
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