By: Leach, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Hancock) H.B. No. 1748 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 11, 2023; April 13, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce; May 5, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 10, Nays 0; May 5, 2023, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the use of a facsimile signature on certain public securities and related certificates. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 618.003, Government Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 618.003. AUTHORITY FOR FACSIMILE SIGNATURE. (a) An [Except as provided by Section 618.004, an] authorized officer may execute, authenticate, certify, or endorse or authorize to be executed, authenticated, certified, or endorsed with the officer's facsimile signature instead of the officer's manual signature: (1) a public security, instrument of payment, or certificate of assessment, if the use of the facsimile signature is authorized by the board, body, or officer empowered to authorize the issuance of the security, instrument, or certificate; or (2) an eligible contract, if the use of the facsimile signature is authorized by the governing body of the municipality. (b) A facsimile signature of the comptroller, or of a deputy designated in writing to act for the comptroller, may be placed on a public security required to be registered by the comptroller or a certificate on that security. SECTION 2. Section 618.004, Government Code, is repealed. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. * * * * *