Amend CSSB 1420 (house committee printing) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ____. Subchapter B, Chapter 372, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Sections 372.054 and 372.055 to read as follows:
Sec. 372.054. ANNUAL AUDIT. (a) In this section, "toll project entity" does not include the department.
(b) A toll project entity shall have an annual audit of the affairs of the toll project entity prepared by an independent certified public accountant or a firm of independent certified public accountants.
Sec. 372.055. ELECTRONIC CHECKING ACCOUNT TRANSACTION REGISTER. (a) In this section, "toll project entity" does not include the department.
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (f), a toll project entity shall designate a person to maintain an electronic checking account transaction register for the entity's checking account. The register must:
(1) be in a searchable, electronic spreadsheet format; and
(2) be available without a fee for viewing and downloading by the public at all times on the entity's Internet website.
(c) The electronic checking account transaction register must include for each expense transaction from the toll project entity's account:
(1) the transaction amount;
(2) the name of the payee; and
(3) a statement describing the purpose of the expenditure.
(d) A toll project entity may not include in the entity's electronic checking account transaction register a check issued to an entity employee in payment of salary, wages, or an employment stipend.
(e) A toll project entity shall:
(1) update the electronic checking account transaction register at least once each month, not later than the 30th day after the closing date of the most recent monthly statement for the checking account; and
(2) maintain each transaction or listing in the electronic checking account transaction register on the entity's Internet website until the first anniversary of the date of the transaction or listing.
(f) The person designated to maintain the electronic checking account transaction register under Subsection (b) may consult with the comptroller in developing the register.
SECTION ____. A toll project entity required to maintain an electronic checking account transaction register under Section 372.055, Transportation Code, as added by this Act, shall make the register available for public viewing or downloading not later than January 1, 2012. The register must contain the information required by Section 372.055(c), Transportation Code, as added by this Act, with regard to each transaction occurring on or after the effective date of this Act.