BILL ANALYSIS
S.B. 577
By: Duncan
Urban Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, only home-rule municipalities with a population of 1.9 million or more can use facsimile signatures for eligible contracts outlined in Section 618.002(3), Government Code. This bill lowers the population threshold to 200,000.
As proposed, S.B.577 amends current law relating to the use of facsimile signatures for certain documents involving certain municipalities.
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
SECTION 1. Amends Section 618.002(3), Government Code, to redefine "eligible contract" in this section.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 342.007(b), Health and Safety Code, as follows:
(b) Requires the mayor, municipal health authority, or municipal official designated by the mayor, to file a statement of expenses with the county clerk of the county in which the municipality is located to obtain a lien against certain property. Requires the lien statement to state the name of the owner, if known, and the legal description of the property. Authorizes a signature on a lien statement to be a facsimile signature as defined by Section 618.002 (Definitions), Government Code. Provides that the lien attaches upon the filing of the lien statement with the county clerk.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2011.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2011.