BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1093

By: Alvarado

County Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that providing discretion to certain county commissioners courts for purposes of setting a cap on the county's welfare department petty cash fund will better serve the intended purposes of these funds. C.S.H.B. 1093 seeks to address this issue by authorizing certain county commissioners courts to set that cap.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 1093 amends the Local Government Code to authorize the commissioners court of a county with a population of 2.3 million or more to set the maximum amount authorized to be disbursed to the head of the county welfare department for use as a petty cash fund so that cash is immediately available for transportation and other expenses of paupers.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 1093 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1.  Section 130.905(a), Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows: (a)  The commissioners court of a county with a population of 1.3 million or more, for the support of paupers through a county welfare department, may authorize the disbursement of an amount set by the commissioners court [not to exceed $2,500] to the head of the county welfare department for use as a petty cash fund in order that cash is immediately available for transportation and other expenses of the paupers.  The petty cash fund must be established under a system provided and installed by the county auditor with reports to be made to the auditor, as the auditor may require, by the head of the county welfare department.	SECTION 1.  Section 130.905, Local Government Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), the [The] commissioners court of a county with a population of 1.3 million or more, for the support of paupers through a county welfare department, may authorize the disbursement of an amount not to exceed $2,500 to the head of the county welfare department for use as a petty cash fund in order that cash is immediately available for transportation and other expenses of the paupers.  The petty cash fund must be established under a system provided and installed by the county auditor with reports to be made to the auditor, as the auditor may require, by the head of the county welfare department. (a-1)  In a county with a population of 2.3 million or more, the commissioners court may set the maximum amount authorized to be disbursed under Subsection (a).
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, 2017.	SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.