Relating to the creation and re-creation of funds and accounts, the dedication and rededication of revenue and allocation of accrued interest on dedicated revenue, and the exemption of unappropriated money from use for general governmental purposes.

Contracts

Government Contractors & Grant Recipients:

The "Supremacy Clause" in Section 16 dictates that HB4488 overrides any other bill passed this session regarding fund creation.

• Review Pending Contracts: If you have a contract pending based on separate legislation that promised a "dedicated fund," you must cross-reference that fund against Sections 9, 10, and 11 of HB4488.
• Amendment Required: If the fund is not listed here, the funding source in your contract is legally invalid. You must amend the contract to cite the General Revenue Fund or the specific surviving account to ensure enforceability.

Hiring/Training

Finance & Accounting Staff:

• Interest Exclusion: Train finance teams to exclude "interest income" from budgets regarding state grants held in the treasury. Section 12 mandates that interest earned on these funds is swept to the state, not the account holder.
• Non-Profit Finance Directors: Staff managing specialty license plate revenue must update direct deposit and vendor records with the Comptroller before September 1, 2025, to align with the new Trust Fund designation.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

Invoicing Protocols:

• Non-Treasury Funds: Vendors billing against the *Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve* or the *Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Fund* must note these are held outside the state treasury. This requires distinct invoicing workflows compared to standard Comptroller checks, potentially involving third-party custodians or different payment cycles.

Fees & Costs

Fee Diversion Risk:

• While this bill does not increase fees, Section 13 authorizes the Comptroller to "sweep" dedicated account balances that exceed appropriations.
• Impact: If your industry pays regulatory fees (e.g., environmental or insurance permits), these funds may be diverted to balance the general budget rather than funding the agency processing your permits. Prepare for potential delays in permit processing in Q4 2025 due to agency resource constraints.