BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                 C.S.S.B. 687

80R12044-E                                                                                                                 By: Shapleigh

                                                                                                                  Government Organization

                                                                                                                                            3/21/2007

                                                                                                        Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

While current law allows the use of TexasOnline for point-of-sale transactions, some agencies consider that the term does not include person-to-person transactions.  Therefore, TexasOnline is not used for certain transactions, such as the At-Track Licensing Offices for the Texas Racing Commission, which maintains a separate contract with different credit card rates to process credit cards on those At-Track transactions.

 

In addition, some agencies, including the Department of Public Safety, want statutory authority to use TexasOnline to track payment for person-to-person transactions that take place in regional or district offices, such a driver's license renewals.  Agencies that use TexasOnline are required by statute to link to TexasOnline on the agency's website.  However, users of TexasOnline should receive a consistent ease of movement between TexasOnline and agencies' websites that is not always available.

 

C.S.S.B. 687 enhances access to TexasOnline by accepting person-to-person transactions, automated processes that facilitate person-to-person transactions, and personal transactions conducted at an automated kiosk.  This bill also authorizes TexasOnline to be used to track credit card and cash payments, and requires the Department of Information Resources to adopt rules to ensure consistency between TexasOnline and individual agency websites.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Department of Information Resources in SECTION 3 (Section 2054.261, Government Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 2054.1115(a), Government Code, to authorize a state agency  or local government that uses TexasOnline to use electronic payment methods, including the acceptance of credit and debit cards, for certain point-of-sale transactions, telephone transactions, or mail transactions.

 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 2054.252, Government Code, by adding Subsection (b-1), to authorize the Department of Information Resources (DIR) to include in the electronic infrastructure established under Subsection (a) a method by which a state agency or local government may track payments, including cash and credit card payments, received by the state agency or local government, whether or not the payments are made through the infrastructure.

 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 2054.261, Government Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 2054.261.  ASSISTANCE AND COORDINATION WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES.  (a) Creates this subsection from existing text.

 

(b) Requires DIR by rule to adopt standards for state agency Internet websites to ensure consistency and compatibility with the project.  Requires each state agency to make its Internet website conform to the standards.

 

SECTION 4.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.