BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                      C.S.H.B. 398

                                                                                                                                 By: Cook, Byron

                                                                                                                                    County Affairs

                                                                                                        Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Currently in counties without a county auditor, the county clerk is required to make reports to the county commissioners court about the general financial condition of the county. This responsibility would be better suited for the county treasurer due to the fact that treasurer is the county's financial officer.

 

C.S.H.B. 398  updates the Local Government Code to clarify the role of the county clerk, auditor, and treasurer in certain counties and assigns some responsibilities previously held by the county clerk to the treasurer.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. 

 

ANALYSIS

 

C.S.H.B. 398 amends the Local Government Code by reassigning certain responsibilities of the county clerk to the county treasurer, in counties that do not have a county auditor. The Bill allows the county treasurer, not the county clerk, be compensated for carrying out those responsibilities.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

 

The substitute differs from the original due to a non-substantive change.