By Lucio                                               S.B. No. 357
         77R3315 MI-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the adoption by the state comptroller of a uniform
 1-3     chart of accounts for county financial data.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 112.003, Local Government Code, is amended
 1-6     to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 112.003.  COMPTROLLER'S AUTHORITY TO PRESCRIBE FORMS AND
 1-8     ADOPT UNIFORM CHART OF ACCOUNTS [DETERMINE MANNER OF STATING
 1-9     ACCOUNTS]. (a)  The comptroller of public accounts shall prescribe
1-10     and prepare the forms to be used by county officials in the
1-11     collection of county revenue, funds, fees, and other money and in
1-12     the disbursement of funds.  The comptroller shall adopt a uniform
1-13     chart of accounts to be used by a county for  [prescribe the manner
1-14     of] keeping and stating the accounts of the officials.
1-15           (b)  A county shall use the uniform chart of accounts adopted
1-16     by the comptroller in reporting financial data or other pertinent
1-17     information to the state [The comptroller shall prescribe forms
1-18     that the comptroller considers will meet the needs of
1-19     different-sized counties].
1-20           SECTION 2. (a)  As soon as practicable after September 1,
1-21     2001, but not later than January 1, 2002, the comptroller shall
1-22     adopt the uniform chart of accounts authorized by Section 112.003,
1-23     Local Government Code, as amended by this Act.
1-24           (b)  A county is not required to comply with the reporting
 2-1     requirement of Section 112.003, as amended by this Act, before
 2-2     January 1, 2003. The comptroller may extend the time by which a
 2-3     county must comply with the reporting requirement of Section
 2-4     112.003, Local Government Code, as added by this Act, on a clear
 2-5     demonstration by the requesting county that complying within the
 2-6     prescribed time would be unduly burdensome.  The comptroller may
 2-7     not extend the time for compliance later than January 1, 2004.
 2-8           SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.