Bill

SB 492

85(R) - 2017
Senate Finance
Senate Finance
Counties
Finance
Taxation

Vote Recommendation

Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Royce West

Bill Caption

Relating to procedures of a county tax assessor-collector for collection of dishonored checks and invoices; authorizing a fee.

Fiscal Notes

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

Bill Analysis

Under current law, for the collection of dishonored checks and credit card invoices, a county tax assessor-collector may notify the maker, law enforcement, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, the comptroller of public accounts, or the Department of Public Safety.

SB 492 would also allow the assessor-collector to refer the dishonored check or credit card invoice to a private collection agency and would allow that agency to charge fees to the responsible party. The fees would be the same as those that would be charged if the tax assessor-collector utilized law enforcement to collect these debs.

Vote Recommendation Notes

This bill would give a tax assessor-collector another avenue by which to collect a debt owed by a person who bounced a check. While no one likes to be pestered by debt collectors, it is probably preferable to a visit from the sheriff. Ultimately, however, adding another avenue for collecting these debts is procedural and neither affirms nor offends our liberty principles, therefore we remain neutral.