HBA-DMH H.B. 1612 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1612
By: Goolsby
Licensing & Administrative Procedures
2/23/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) permit application
fees are required to be paid to the state in the form of a cashier's check
or money order. For TABC to move forward in e-commerce or other types of
actions involving the Internet, it is important for TABC to be positioned
to receive electronic payments.  House Bill 1612 includes electronic forms
of payment among the types of acceptable payments for permit application
fees, and allows TABC to determine a reasonable fee for processing such
payments. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
in SECTION 1 (Section 11.35, Alcoholic Beverage Code) of this bill. 

ANALYSIS
House Bill 1612 amends the Alcoholic Beverage Code to include an electronic
form of payment that is approved by Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
(TABC) rule as an acceptable form of payment for a permit application.  The
bill authorizes TABC to set a reasonable processing fee to recover expenses
incurred by TABC in processing the electronic payment. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.