HBA-DMD, NLM H.B. 1810 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1810
By: Averitt
Financial Institutions
11/1/1999
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Each legislative session, the comptroller of public accounts (comptroller)
identifies certain functions of the agency that require either statutory
changes in order to update references in the Government Code, clarify
statutory intent for application, update compliance with federal law,
codify existing practices, or simplify the administration of the agency.
H.B. 1810 updates the state's rating standards to conform with standard
language used in interstate branch banking. This bill authorizes the
comptroller to invest funds in compliance with federal law and to contract
with professional investment managers to assist the comptroller in
investing funds.  This bill also specifies the amount of collateral that
depository banks must pledge to the comptroller and authorizes a federal
reserve bank or federal home loan bank to act as a third-party custodian to
hold pledged securities for the state. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 404.0212(d), Government Code, to prohibit the
comptroller from selecting as a depository  a regulated financial
institution for which the entire institution has been assigned a rating
described by this section. Requires the comptroller to establish criteria
to determine whether a financial institution doing business in this state
and other states has a satisfactory record of meeting community needs in
this state. Makes a nonsubstantive change. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 404.022, Government Code, as follows:

Sec. 404.022.  APPLICATIONS. (a) Changes the date to not later than the
first business day, rather than on the second Tuesday, in June of each
odd-numbered year, that the comptroller of public accounts (comptroller) is
required to mail a letter stating the conditions with which applicants must
comply. 

(b)  Provides that a statement of the maximum amount of state time
deposits, rather than state funds, and the applicant's condition according
to the most recent financial statement must be included in the application
for designation as a state depository. Deletes the existing provision that
an application  for designation as a state depository must include the
amount of net proprietorship if the applicant is a private bank. 

(c)   Requires that an application be received before noon on the first
business day of August of the year in which the letter is sent.
Authorizes, rather than requires, the comptroller to charge a processing
fee described by this section.  

(d)  Makes no changes. 

(e)  Deletes the provision regarding the prohibition of a grant of an
application for state funds  due to the applicant's liabilities for
borrowed money. 

 (f) Deletes the provision regarding the authority of the comptroller to
designate an applicant as a state depository if the applicant has complied
with all of the conditions set by the comptroller.  

(h) Deletes the provision regarding the authority to send all eligible
institutions notice for the further acceptance of applications if more
depositories are required at any time.  

Makes nonsubstantive changes.

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 404.023, Government Code, to require the
comptroller to designate one or more state depository banks that have main
offices or  branches in centrally located cities in this state to be used
for clearing checks and other obligations due the state. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 404.024, Government Code, by amending Subsection
(g) and by adding Subsections (j) and (k), as follows: 

(g)  Requires the comptroller to give preference to banks that have main
offices or branch offices in this state when investing in direct security
repurchase agreements. Makes a nonsubstantive change. 

(j)  Provides that if the comptroller is required by law to invest funds
other than as provided by this section and to the extent that the standards
of other law governing that investment do not conflict, the comptroller is
required to invest funds under the restrictions and procedures for making
the investments in the same manner that persons of ordinary prudence,
discretion, and intelligence would follow in the management of personal
affairs, not in regard to speculation but in regard to the permanent
disposition of funds, considering probable income and safety of capital. 

(k)  Authorizes the comptroller to contract with private professional
investment managers to assist the comptroller in investing funds under the
care, custody, and control of the comptroller. 

SECTION 5.  Amends Sections 404.031(a) and (f), Government Code, to
authorize the comptroller to deposit state funds with a depository only if
the depository has pledged with the comptroller acceptable eligible
investment securities in an amount not less than the amount of deposits to
be secured. Authorizes a state depository to deposit pledged securities
with a federal reserve bank or a federal home loan bank, instead of
depositing the securities with the comptroller. Deletes references to the
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas or the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas. 

SECTION 6.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 7.  Emergency clause.