BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1802
85R2584 DMS-F	By: Miles
	Intergovernmental Relations
	4/28/2017
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

S.B. 1802 allows the commissioners court of a county with a population greater than 1.3 million to set the cap on the welfare department petty cash fund, as they currently do with other petty cash funds. At this point in time, only Harris County, Tarrant County, Dallas County, and Bexar County have populations greater than 1.3 million people.

Section 130.905(a), Local Government Code, allows counties of population of 1.3 million or more to have a county welfare department petty cash fund not to exceed $2500 at any time, in order that cash is immediately available for transportation and other expenses of poor individuals. 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. The law establishes this amount only for county welfare departments, however. The legislature has determined that the two other petty cash funds, a general fund and a sheriff's fund, do not have set maximums and are instead set by commissioners courts.

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The petty cash in this fund is available to be distributed for the immediate needs of those who utilize county welfare departments. Examples of expenses include clothing, shoes, school supplies, etc. for abused or neglected children recently removed from their homes.

As proposed, S.B. 1802 amends current law relating to petty cash funds for county welfare departments in certain populous counties.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 130.905(a), Local Government Code, to authorize certain commissioners courts to, for the support of paupers through a county welfare department, authorize the disbursement of an amount set by the commissioners court, rather than an amount not to exceed $2,500, to the head of the county welfare department for certain use as a petty cash fund.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.