By:  Hope                                                         H.B. No. 3378



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to granting statutory authority to certain governmental 
entities to reduce certain expenditures and to the operation of 
certain funds.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        

ARTICLE 1.  BALANCED BUDGET AUTHORITY
	SECTION 1.01.  AUTHORITY.  The amounts required by statute 
for entities that receive state funds under Article VIII of the 
General Appropriations Act may be reduced or eliminated in order to 
achieve a balanced budget.

ARTICLE 2.  CONFORMING AMENDMENTS
	SECTION 2.01.  TEXAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION.  
Section 403.006(a), Labor Code, is amended to read as follows:
	(a)  The subsequent injury fund is a dedicated general 
revenue account [special fund] in the state treasury.
	SECTION 2.02.  PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.  Section 
39.903(a), Utilities Code, as amended by Chapters 1394 and 1466, 
Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, is reenacted 
and amended to read as follows:
	(a)  The system benefit fund is an account in the general 
revenue fund [that may be appropriated only for the purposes 
provided by this section].  Interest earned on the system benefit 
fund shall be credited to the fund.  [The system benefit fund is 
created as a trust fund with the comptroller in the state treasury.]
	SECTION 2.03.  TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF BANKING.  (a)  Section 
342.201(f), Finance Code, is amended to read as follows:
	(f)  A loan contract under this subchapter may provide for an 
administrative fee in an amount not to exceed $25 for a loan of more 
than $1,000 or $20 for a loan of $1,000 or less.  The administrative 
fee is considered earned when the loan is made or refinanced and is 
not subject to refund.  A lender refinancing the loan may not 
contract for or receive an administrative fee for the loan more than 
once in any 180-day period, except that if the loan has an interest 
charge authorized by Subsection (e) the lender may not contract for 
or receive the administrative fee more than once in any 365-day 
period.  One dollar of each administrative fee may [shall] be 
deposited with the comptroller for use in carrying out the finance 
commission's responsibilities under Section 11.3055 [11.305].
	(b)  Section 342.308(c), Finance Code, is amended to read as 
follows:        
	(c)  An administrative fee under Subsection (a)(9) is 
considered earned when the loan is made or refinanced and is not 
subject to refund.  A lender refinancing the loan may not contract 
for or receive an administrative fee for the loan more than once in 
any 180-day period.  Fifty cents of each administrative fee may
[shall] be deposited with the comptroller for use in carrying out 
the finance commission's responsibilities under Section 11.3055
[11.305].
	(c)  Sections 11.305(a) and (b), Finance Code, as amended by 
Chapter 867, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, 
are redesignated as Section 11.3055, Finance Code, and reenacted to 
read as follows:
	Sec. 11.3055.  FINANCIAL SERVICES STUDY.  (a) The finance 
commission may [shall] assign the banking commissioner, savings and 
loan commissioner, or consumer credit commissioner to conduct 
research on:
		(1)  the availability, quality, and prices of financial 
services, including lending and depository services, offered in 
this state to agricultural businesses, small businesses, and 
individual consumers in this state; and
		(2)  the practices of business entities in this state 
that provide financial services to agricultural businesses, small 
businesses, and individual consumers in this state.
	(b)  The banking commissioner, savings and loan 
commissioner, or consumer credit commissioner may:
		(1)  apply for and receive public and private grants 
and gifts to conduct the research authorized by this section; and
		(2)  contract with public and private entities to carry 
out studies and analyses under this section.

ARTICLE 3.  EFFECTIVE DATE
	SECTION 3.01.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect 
immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members 
elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas 
Constitution.  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for 
immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2003.