By:  Barrientos                                                   S.B. No. 1161


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to authorizing counties and municipalities to provide 
certain services through the Internet.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 132.007, Local Government Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 132.007.  INFORMATION, SERVICES, AND PAYMENT THROUGH 
THE INTERNET.  (a)  A county or municipality may provide through 
the Internet:
		(1)  access to information; [or]                             
		(2)  collection of payments for taxes, fines, fees, 
court costs, or other charges; or
		(3)  other county and municipal services authorized by 
law.          
	(b)  A county or municipality may charge a reasonable fee for 
providing a service authorized by this section.
	(c)  A county or municipality that provides access to 
information or provides services through the Internet under 
Subsection (a)(1) or (3):
		(1)  may only charge a fee for the access or service if 
the fee is designed to recover the costs directly and reasonably 
incurred in providing the access or service; and
		(2)  may charge the fee only if the governing body of 
the county or municipality determines that providing access to the 
information or providing the service through the Internet would not 
be feasible without the imposition of the charge.
	(d)  A county or municipality may contract with a vendor to 
perform a service authorized by Subsection (a).  A vendor must 
promptly submit to the county or municipality all payments 
collected on behalf of the county or municipality under this 
section.  The county or municipality must approve any fee charged by 
a vendor [for a service performed] under a contract authorized by
this subsection [section].
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.