83R21618 PAM-D

By: Zedler, et al. H.B. No. 284

Substitute the following for H.B. No. 284:

By: Ratliff C.S.H.B. No. 284

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the availability of certain school district financial information on districts' Internet websites.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 44, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 44.0031 to read as follows:

Sec. 44.0031. ELECTRONIC CHECKING ACCOUNT TRANSACTION REGISTER. (a) A school district shall maintain the transaction register for the district's checking account in a searchable portable document format (PDF) in which the transaction register is readily available for purposes of Subsections (d) and (e). Except as provided by Subsection (b) or (c), the electronic checking account transaction register must include for each check written from a district checking account:

(1) the transaction amount; and

(2) the name of the payee.

(a-1) Beginning September 1, 2013, a school district's electronic checking account transaction register must contain the information required by Subsection (a) for each check dated on or after August 1, 2013. This subsection expires September 1, 2014.

(b) A school district may not include in the district's electronic checking account transaction register a check issued to a district employee in payment of:

(1) salary, wages, or an employment stipend; or

(2) a workers' compensation income benefit, medical benefit, death benefit, or burial benefit that is issued by a school district operating as a self-insurer under Chapter 504, Labor Code.

(c) This section does not apply to a checking account maintained by a school district or school campus solely for a student activity fund.

(d) A school district shall prominently post at all times on the home page of the district's Internet website a direct link to the web page on the district's website that contains the district's electronic checking account transaction register for viewing and downloading by interested persons.

(e) A school district shall share data from the electronic checking account transaction register with any interested person who requests the data under Chapter 552, Government Code.

(f) A school district shall:

(1) update the electronic checking account transaction register not later than the 90th day after the closing date of the most recent monthly statement for the checking account; and

(2) maintain each transaction or listing in the electronic checking account transaction register on the district's Internet website until the second anniversary of the date of the transaction or listing.

(g) A school district with a student enrollment of fewer than 500 students in kindergarten through grade 12 is not required to comply with this section.

SECTION 2. 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, 2013.