CREDIT, CHARGE, AND DEBIT CARDS

(a) The comptroller may adopt rules relating to the acceptance of credit, charge, and debit cards for the payment of fees, taxes, and other charges assessed by state agencies. The rules may: (1) authorize a state agency to accept credit, charge, or debit cards for a payment if the comptroller determines the best interests of the state would be promoted; (2) authorize or require a person that uses a credit, charge, or debit card to pay a processing fee to the state agency that accepts the card for a payment; and (3) authorize a particular state agency to accept credit, charge, or debit cards for a payment without providing the same authorization to other state agencies. (b) The comptroller may adopt rules relating to the use of credit or charge cards by state agencies to pay for purchases. The rules may: (1) authorize a state agency to use credit or charge cards if the comptroller determines the best interests of the state would be promoted; (2) authorize a state agency to use credit or charge cards to pay for purchases without providing the same authorization to other state agencies; and (3) authorize a state agency to use credit or charge cards to pay for purchases that otherwise may be paid out of the agency's petty cash accounts under Subchapter K. (c) The comptroller may not adopt rules about a particular state agency's acceptance of credit or charge cards for a payment if the rules would affect a contract that the agency has entered into that is in effect on September 1, 1993. The comptroller may not adopt rules about a particular state agency's acceptance of charge or debit cards for a payment if the rules would affect a contract that the agency has entered into that is in effect on September 1, 1999. (d) The comptroller may not adopt rules about a particular state agency's acceptance or use of credit, charge, or debit cards if another law specifically authorizes, requires, prohibits, or otherwise regulates the acceptance or use. (e) In this section, "state agency" means: (1) a board, commission, department, or other agency in the executive branch of state government that is created by the constitution or a statute of this state, including an institution of higher education as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, other than a public junior college; (2) the legislature or a legislative agency; or (3) the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals, a court of appeals, or a state judicial agency.